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E.U.

Circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background
Motto: "In Varietate Concordia" (Latin)
"United in Diversity"
Anthem: "Ode to Joy" (orchestral)
Projection of Europe with the European Union in green
The European Union in the European continent
The European Union and its outermost regions
The European Union and its outermost regions
Capital Brussels (de facto)
50°51′N 4°21′E / 50.850°N 4.350°E / 50.850; 4.350
Largest cities London and Paris
Official languages
Religion
Demonym European
Type Political and economic union
Member states
Leaders
Jean-Claude Juncker
Donald Tusk
Antonio Tajani
Legislature Council of the EU
European Parliament
Formation
1 January 1958
1 November 1993
1 July 2013
Area
• Total
4,475,757 km2 (1,728,099 sq mi)
• Water (%)
3.08
Population
• 2016 estimate
510,056,011
• Density
116.4/km2 (301.5/sq mi)
GDP (PPP) 2017 estimate
• Total
$20.745 trillion (2nd)
• Per capita
$40,610
GDP (nominal) 2016 estimate
• Total
$16.518 trillion (2nd)
• Per capita
$32,384
Gini (2015) Negative increase 31
medium
HDI (2017) Increase 0.874
very high
Currency
Time zone WET (UTC)
CET (UTC+1)
EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)
WEST (UTC+1)
CEST (UTC+2)
EEST (UTC+3)
Date format dd/mm/yyyy
Internet TLD .eu
Website
europa.eu
Bulgarian: Европейски съюз
Croatian: Europska unija
Czech: Evropská unie
Danish: Den Europæiske Union
Dutch: Europese Unie
Estonian: Euroopa Liit
Finnish: Euroopan unioni
French: Union européenne
German: Europäische Union
Greek: Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση
Hungarian: Európai Unió
Irish: An tAontas Eorpach
Italian: Unione europea
Latvian: Eiropas Savienība
Lithuanian: Europos Sąjunga
Maltese: Unjoni Ewropea
Polish: Unia Europejska
Portuguese: União Europeia
Romanian: Uniunea Europeană
Slovak: Európska únia
Slovene: Evropska unija
Spanish: Unión Europea
Swedish: Europeiska unionen

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. It has an area of 4,475,757 km2 (1,728,099 sq mi), and an estimated population of over 510 million. The EU has developed an internal single market through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital within the internal market, enact legislation in justice and home affairs, and maintain common policies on trade,agriculture,fisheries, and regional development. Within the Schengen Area, passport controls have been abolished.A monetary union was established in 1999 and came into full force in 2002, and is composed of 19 EU member states which use the euro currency.

The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), formed by the Inner Six countries in 1951 and 1958, respectively. Next the treaty of Rome of 1957 created the European Community made up of the six core countries of Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany. The decades following many new members joined them while at the same time integration of economic, cultural, judicial and so forth would then deepen the relationships distinct European entity. The community and its successors have grown in size by the accession of new member states and in power by the addition of policy areas to its remit. While no member state has left the EU or its antecedent organisations, the United Kingdom enacted the result of a membership referendum in June 2016 and is currently negotiating its withdrawal. The Maastricht Treaty established the European Union in 1993 and introduced European citizenship. The latest major amendment to the constitutional basis of the EU, the Treaty of Lisbon, came into force in 2009.


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Wikipedia

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