European Union

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(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.

This page revised: 15 December 2011

Two events took place 9 December 2011 - the UK declined to acquiesce in amendments to EU treaty legislation, which would have seriously damaged a major sector of the UK economy, the financial sector; most of the other 26 member states have agreed to go forward with their plans on their own, outwith the framework of existing EU treaty legislation, in an effort to secure the future of the Euro, which is in this writer's view doomed to failure given the internal inconsistencies both in the design of the Euro and the different aims and economies of Eurozone members. It is not yet clear how last night's events will affect the long-term future of the UK's relationship with the EU. Secondly, Croatia signed its ratification agreement under which it will become the 28th member of the EU in mid-2013 (see further down this page).

On 15 December 2011 I have added an indication of those countries which use the Euro as the currency; this will be amended in due course as commence (or cease) using the Euro as the currency; at present 17 of the 27 member states use it.

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 5 countries classified as candidates (see details further down this page); accession negotiations with Croatia were concluded in June 2011 and it is likely to become the 28th member of the EU on 1st July 2013. For the other 4 their accessions are not yet agreed and no dates for this agreement or eventual accession have yet been set; negotiations are at different stages for these countries. There are a further 4 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.

Candidate Countries
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. Iceland has 'leap-frogged' other potential candidate countries; it applied to join the EU in late-2009, following its financial and economic collapse a year earlier and by mid-2010 had alreay been 'promoted' to the status of 'candidate country'; my sense is that it will become a full member in the relatively near future, certainly far sooner than Turkey (whose candidacy seems destined to remain stalled indefinitely, largely as a result of the strong opposition of certain of the existing EU members [notably, NOT the UK], because of their reluctance to having a largely-Moslem country, particularly one with such a large population, as a full EU member); these are my opinions only, but I think they are based on a practical and realistic assessment of the political dynamics of the EU. My hope is that Turkey will be welcomed as a full member sooner rather than later, but I am not holding my breath. As is mentioned above, Croatia will become the 28th EU member on 1st July 2013, having signed its ratification agremeent on 9th December 2011.

Potential Candidate Countries
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
(Countries which use the Euro as the currency are marked *)

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 image below to visit the EU 'countries' website (version in English), which as well as showing a map with links to current member states, also has a link to 'Candidate' countries. Or click here if you wish to select another language (in the English language version, select your language, then under About the EU click on 'Countries', or the equivalent in the other language versions). This will allow you to view information about the countries who are currently members or candidates for membership of the EU: