How many countries are there in the EU
The European Union (European Union) is one of the most important political and economic organizations in the world, and its number of member states has always been the focus of public attention. This article will combine hot topics and hot content in the past 10 days to introduce in detail the number of member states, historical evolution and related structured data of the EU.
1. Number of EU Member States
As of 2024, the EU has 27 member states. Here is the full list of EU member states:
| serial number | country name | Year of joining |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austria | 1995 |
| 2 | Belgium | 1957 |
| 3 | Bulgaria | 2007 |
| 4 | Croatia | 2013 |
| 5 | Cyprus | 2004 |
| 6 | Czech Republic | 2004 |
| 7 | Denmark | 1973 |
| 8 | estonia | 2004 |
| 9 | Finland | 1995 |
| 10 | france | 1957 |
| 11 | germany | 1957 |
| 12 | greece | 1981 |
| 13 | hungary | 2004 |
| 14 | Ireland | 1973 |
| 15 | Italy | 1957 |
| 16 | Latvia | 2004 |
| 17 | Lithuania | 2004 |
| 18 | Luxembourg | 1957 |
| 19 | Malta | 2004 |
| 20 | Netherlands | 1957 |
| 21 | Poland | 2004 |
| 22 | Portugal | 1986 |
| 23 | Romania | 2007 |
| 24 | Slovakia | 2004 |
| 25 | Slovenia | 2004 |
| 26 | spain | 1986 |
| 27 | Sweden | 1995 |
2. Historical evolution of the European Union
The predecessor of the EU was the European Economic Community (EEC) established in 1957, which initially consisted of 6 countries. Over time, the EU has undergone several expansions, with the number of member states gradually increasing. The following are the main stages of EU expansion:
| stage | Year | Number of new member states | total number of member states |
|---|---|---|---|
| founding stage | 1957 | 6 | 6 |
| first expansion | 1973 | 3 | 9 |
| second expansion | 1981 | 1 | 10 |
| third expansion | 1986 | 2 | 12 |
| The fourth expansion | 1995 | 3 | 15 |
| fifth expansion | 2004 | 10 | 25 |
| The sixth expansion | 2007 | 2 | 27 |
| The seventh expansion | 2013 | 1 | 28 |
| Brexit | 2020 | -1 | 27 |
3. Hot topics and EU-related developments in the past 10 days
1.Ukraine's progress in joining the EU: Recently, Ukraine’s negotiations to join the European Union have become a hot topic. The European Commission said it would speed up Ukraine's EU accession process, but the specific timetable has not yet been determined.
2.EU Green Energy Policy: The European Union recently proposed a new green energy plan, aiming to increase the proportion of renewable energy to 45% by 2030. This policy triggered heated discussions among member states.
3.EU Economic Recovery Fund: Some member states have questioned the use of the Economic Recovery Fund and believe that the allocation of funds is unfair. This topic has been mentioned many times at recent EU summits.
4. The future prospects of the EU
The future development of the EU will face multiple challenges, including Ukraine's accession to the EU, green energy transition and economic coordination among member states. Although Brexit has reduced the number of member states, the EU is still actively promoting expansion plans, and more countries may join in the future.
Through the above data and content, we can clearly understand the number of member states of the EU and its historical evolution. As an important global political and economic organization, the EU's dynamics will continue to attract global attention.
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