European Union

(Most links on this page, with the exception of the link bar at the bottom, will open a new window - simply close the new window to come back here.)

Click on the EU flag to visit the main EU website (choose language area you wish to enter), or click on the flags below to go direct to a page giving brief information about each member state, and from there the link at the foot of the page will allow you to visit various national links for each member state.

The European Union undertook the largest single growth in membership in its history on 1st May 2004, when 10 new members joined, bringing total membership to 25; a further 2 countries joined on 1st January 2007, bringing current total membership to 27. There are currently 3 countries classified as candidates (see details further down this page); their accession is not yet agreed and no dates for this agreement or eventual accession have yet been set. There are a further five countries or territories classified as potential members (see details further down this page).

As predicted, only the southern ('Greek') part of Cyprus joined the EU in May 2004, following U.N. sponsored referenda in that part, where reunification of the island was rejected, and in the northern ('Turkish') part of the island where it was supported. Shortly after the results of these referenda were confirmed and before the accession date on 1st May 2004 of the 10 new member states, the European Union (of the 15) pledged to end the international isolation of northern Cyprus and to provide it with economic assistance. EU policy on the Turkish Cypriot Community is outlined here.

Within the section on 'Candidate' countries I include Turkey, because this is officially the status it holds; whether the internal EU politics of certain EU countries will ever allow Turkey to join as a full member is anyone's guess. My hope is that Turkey will be welcomed as a full member sooner rather than later. Within the section on 'Potential Candidate' countries is included Kosovo whose future status and governance is, to put it mildly, open to doubt - whether it can realistically be expected to be granted 'candidate' status anytime soon is, again, anyone's guess.

Existing member states

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Cyprus

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Ireland

Italy

Latvia

Lithuania

Luxemburg

Malta

Netherlands

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

United Kingdom

Click on the enlargement logo to visit the EU 'enlargement' website (version in English), or click here if you wish to select another language. This will allow you to view information about the countries who are currently candidates for membership of the EU: