Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
- EU
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of European states, formally established by the Maastricht Treaty in 1993. It traces its origins to earlier forms of European cooperation, including the European Coal and Steel Community (1951) and the European Economic Community (1957). The EU aims to promote peace, stability, and prosperity through shared institutions, a single market, and common policies in areas such as trade, agriculture, research, and the environment. It has progressively expanded in membership and competences, and today comprises 27 member states (following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom in 2020). The EU operates through a system of supranational institutions—including the European Commission, European Parliament, and European Council—and has its own legal framework, currency (the euro, adopted by 20 members), and external relations.