Finland is part of the European Union. Which countries are members of the European Union? Full list

Finland - economically developed country in Northern Europe, bordering Russia, Sweden and Norway. In Finland high level life, so many foreigners aspire here. Potential tourists and migrants are often looking for an answer to the question of whether Finland is a member of the European Union.

Consider which unions and associations this northern European state is part of. First, let's find out what the European Union is and which countries are included in it. The European Union is an organization consisting of independent states that have developed common political and economic rules for themselves, and have a common currency - the euro. Also, many European countries are part of the Schengen area. How are these associations different?

Finland's membership in the European Union and Schengen

The European Union was legally formed in 1992 in Maastricht, the Netherlands, creating a common large market that is very convenient for its members. Finland joined the European Union back in 1995. Now the citizens of this state can move freely throughout Europe. Until 2002, the Finnish mark was the national currency of Finland. Now the single currency of the country is the euro. After the Second World War, the economy and industry of this state developed greatly, especially the woodworking industry, steel production and tourism.

Also Finland is a member of the Schengen area. The Schengen Union was concluded in the spring of 1995 with the aim of uniting the borders between European states. The Schengen Agreement has greatly simplified travel between member states. There is no passport control at the borders between these states. Citizens of states outside the Schengen area, it is enough to open one common Schengen visa to visit several countries.

The internal market, free of visas and duties, has made it easier for Finnish companies to trade in the euro area. The Finnish Prime Minister is a permanent member of the European Council in the EU. Finland in the European Union has big influence, in european Parliament it is represented by 13 deputies. Finns are free to travel and work in all EU and Schengen countries.

Member States of the EU, potential members for accession

Today, the European Union includes 28 member states, which are home to more than 500 million inhabitants. Of these, 19 states entered the Eurozone with a single currency - the euro. The first countries joined this association back in 1973. The last replenishment was in 2007, when Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU. Below is a list of participating countries as of 2018:

  • Germany;
  • Finland;
  • Poland;
  • Portugal;
  • Spain;
  • Slovenia;
  • Slovakia;
  • Croatia;
  • Denmark;
  • Bulgaria;
  • Romania;
  • Sweden;
  • Norway;
  • Greece;
  • Malta;
  • Croatia;
  • Cyprus;
  • Italy;
  • Austria;
  • France;
  • Holland;
  • Ireland;
  • Estonia;
  • Latvia;
  • Lithuania;
  • Luxembourg;
  • Belgium.

Today, 26 countries are members of the Schengen area. There are a number of candidate countries for EU membership - Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. The Schengen Union and the European Union should not be confused. These are different associations, they have different functions, they have different composition... 4 countries belonging to the Schengen area are not part of the European Union.

Interesting! There is also a candidate for leaving the EU! This is Great Britain, which is going to withdraw from this union after the well-known referendum. A process called "Brexit" has now been launched, as a result of which Great Britain may soon withdraw from the EU zone.

As you can see, this state is simultaneously in several public associations. Finland is an important and important member of the EU. The Finns are proud that they can influence the affairs of Europe. Unlike neighboring Scandinavian countries, Finland is not a NATO member. In all military relations, it remains neutral. Finland, although a small country, is capable of exerting influence at the international level.

On this page you can find out a complete list of EU countries that are part of the 2017 year.

The initial goal of the creation of the European Union was to combine the coal and steel resources of only two European countries - Germany and France. In 1950, one could not even imagine that later certain time The European Union will become a unique international entity that unites 28 European states and combines the features international organization and sovereign power. The article describes which countries are members of the European Union, how many this moment full EU members and candidates for membership.

The organization received legal justification much later. Existence international union was enshrined in the Maastricht Agreement in 1992, which entered into force in November of the following year.

Objectives of the Maastricht Treaty:

  1. Creature international association with identical economic, political and currency trends in development;
  2. Creation of a single market by creating conditions for the unimpeded movement of production products, services, and other goods;
  3. Regulation of issues related to the protection and protection of the environment;
  4. Reducing the crime rate.

The main consequences of concluding a contract:

  • the introduction of a single European citizenship;
  • the abolition of the passport control regime on the territory of the EU countries, provided for by the Schengen Agreement;

Although legally the EU combines the properties international education and an independent state, in fact, it does not belong to one or the other.

How many EU member states in 2017

Today, the European Union includes 28 countries, as well as a number of autonomous regions subordinate to the main EU members (Aland Islands, Azores, etc.). In 2013, the last accession to the European Union was made, after which Croatia became a member of the EU.

The following states have EU membership:

  1. Croatia;
  2. Netherlands;
  3. Romania;
  4. France;
  5. Bulgaria;
  6. Luxembourg;
  7. Italy;
  8. Cyprus;
  9. Germany;
  10. Estonia;
  11. Belgium;
  12. Latvia;
  13. Great Britain;
  14. Spain;
  15. Austria;
  16. Lithuania;
  17. Ireland;
  18. Poland;
  19. Greece;
  20. Slovenia;
  21. Denmark;
  22. Slovakia;
  23. Sweden;
  24. Malta;
  25. Finland;
  26. Portugal;
  27. Hungary;
  28. Czech Republic.

The accession to the EU of the countries included in this list took place in several stages. At the first stage, in 1957, 6 European states were included in the formation, in 1973 - three countries, including Great Britain, in 1981 only Greece became a member of the union, in 1986 - the Kingdom of Spain and the Portuguese Republic, in 1995 - three more powers (Kingdom of Sweden, Republic of Austria, Finland). The year 2004 turned out to be especially fruitful, when 10 European countries, including Hungary, Cyprus and other economically developed countries, received EU membership. The last enlargements, which increased the number of EU members to 28, were carried out in 2007 (Romania, Republic of Bulgaria) and 2013.

Quite often Russians have a question: “Is Montenegro a member of the European Union or not?”, Since the country's currency is the euro. No, at the moment the state is at the stage of negotiations on the issue of entry.

On the other hand, there are a number of countries that are members of the EU, but the currency used on their territory is not the euro (Sweden, Bulgaria, Romania, etc.). The reason is that these countries are not included in the euro area.

What are the requirements for candidates for entry

To become a member of the organization, you must meet the requirements, the list of which is displayed in the relevant regulatory legal act, called the "Copenhagen criteria". The etymology of the document is dictated by the place of its signing. The document was adopted in Copenhagen (Denmark) in 1993 during a meeting of the European Council.

A list of the main criteria that a candidate must meet:

  • application of the principles of democracy on the territory of the country;
  • a person and his rights must come first, that is, the state must adhere to the principles of the rule of law and humanism;
  • development of the economy and increasing its competitiveness;
  • compliance of the country's political course with the goals and objectives of the entire European Union.

EU accession candidates are usually subject to scrutiny and a decision is made. In the case of a negative answer, the country that received a negative answer is provided with a list of reasons on the basis of which such a decision was made. Non-compliance with the Copenhagen criteria, which are revealed during the candidate screening process, must be eliminated as soon as possible in order to be eligible for future EU membership.

Official announced candidates for EU membership

Despite the fact that now only the lazy is not talking about the EU, the question of which countries are members of the European Union remains relevant. It is a mistake to talk about the states of Europe and mean the political and economic unification of states on the territory of the mainland.

It is interesting to note that the number of countries in the EU today is 28, and there are 50 states in Europe.

The creation of the structure falls on the fifties of the last century. The Union has been moving towards a modern structure for more than half a century. Laws were passed, new states entered, it was decided which selection system would be applied, bringing their innovations to the conservative structure. Today it is a powerful union of lands that beckons with its wealth, cleanliness and order.

European countries - list

Europe is the name of the continent of our land. Together with Asia, it forms the continent of Eurasia. There are fifty states on this territory. The division takes place along the Ural ridge.

They also include:

  • Lands of Russia to the border with the mountains;
  • the Balkan and Baltic states;
  • northern territories: Norway, Sweden;
  • southern: Spain, Malta, Monaco, Gibraltar, Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Vatican;
  • central lands: Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary,;
  • western: Great Britain, Ireland, Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Andorra;
  • east: Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova;
  • part and Turkey.

The division into groups is conditional. The division is more of a political nature. Indeed, after each disintegration or unification, the territory is transferred from one group to another.

Countries in the European Union today

The Commonwealth dates back to the fifties of the twentieth century.

The first countries to become members of the EU were: Germany, the French Republic, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands.

Rome has become a historic city. Here in the fifty-seventh the coal and steel treaty was signed, which is the prototype of the modern Maastricht agreement. Further, right up to our time, the list of the EU has increased.

The most a large number of territories joined in 2004. These were states from the post-Soviet space: Poland plus the Baltic countries.

The entry of Bulgaria and Romania in 2007 was controversial. Experts argued that these countries do not fully meet Copenhagen membership standards. But their application was granted. The same opinion was about Greece. Croatia was the last to join the Union (2013). Albania is also among the candidates for EU membership. Here are the states that are members of the European Union for 2018.

European countries outside the EU

The rest of the European states, except for the united 28, are not part of the EU.

Confusion with member states and non-members of the Union occurs due to the existence of several more associations in Europe.

This is a currency union, as well as a free border crossing zone without going through customs inspection.

The interaction between the parties takes place on the basis of agreements on cooperation in a certain area.

At the moment, the European Union does not cover the following territories:

  • four states of the overseas western side, including Great Britain;
  • Russia, Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus;
  • Balkan territories excluding Croatia;
  • European part of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan.
  • US area, Canada and others.

The joining process does not stop in time. Interested participants submit applications. They begin to be watched. The most successful ones are added to the expansion program. There are also countries that decide to leave the European Union for objective reasons, for example, England.

It is important to know: boundaries European Union, currency union, Schengen area - do not coincide.

A bit of EU history

The post-war period required decisive actions to resolve the current economic situation. Key players in the steel and coal market decided to enter into a cooperation agreement.

The creation of the European Union falls on 1957. It includes six states. Since then, it has not only economic union, and the international cooperation countries.

The EU became an intergovernmental organization that had general agreements, but each separate territory kept its identity and traditions.

The European Union acquired its modern look in 1992 after the ratification of the Maastricht Agreement. Then there was an attempt to introduce a general constitution. In the EEC referendums, not all participating countries supported this initiative. The French and the Dutch refused.

The Lisbon Agreement, signed in 2007, settled all disputes. It became the prototype of the failed constitution.

Criteria for joining the EU

The applicant state must change the structure of the three spheres of life to the standards of the union.

Such indicators were developed in 1993, after which they were approved at a formal meeting of the EU Council. Their name comes from the place of the gathering - the Danish city of Copenhagen.

The norms exist for those who want to join the association. There are three Copenhagen criteria in total: political, economic, membership.

Each of the regulations has its own standards:

  1. According to the political criterion, the state must work on its institutions. Their ideal state is an unprecedented protection and guarantee of democracy, protection of the rights of citizens, a tolerant attitude towards national minorities. Compliance with this criterion gives the right to association with the EU.
  2. Economic norms stimulate the country's system to develop. This means raising production standards and adhering to them unswervingly. After all, there is strong competition in the EU market. An unprepared state can go bankrupt.
  3. Membership criteria test a country for its collegial responsibility. On the territory of the EU, all states are independent from their legislative framework... But there are also general regulatory and restrictive documents. They impose certain economic and political obligations on the member states.

It is interesting: there is no concept of an associate member of the EU. An association agreement is signed, which gives some economic and political preferences.

Features of the economy of the EU member states

Each state has its own economic strategy. For EU countries, contributions to the EU budget and standards for planning their own budgets are mandatory.

The deficit of government financial plans is ≤ 3% and government debt is less than or equal to 60%. Nevertheless, there are cases when these standards are violated.

Backward states can receive assistance from the EU. Regional policy is based on leveling the general economic situation in the territory of the Union.

Another factor that increases or decreases the budgets of member countries is the quota program. Entrepreneurs of all states must adhere to general rules and standards.

Conclusion

To date, to the question of how many countries are included in the European Union, the answer is as follows - 28.

The membership process is complex and time consuming. To do this, the state must meet the three main Copenhagen criteria: economic, political and membership rate.

If a country feels that it can compete for a place in the EU, the government submits an application. The commission considers it and makes a decision. The latest accessions have finally shaken the stability of the union. Therefore, the union is more thoroughly checking applicants.

Watch the video for an overview of the EU member states:

Everyone knows about the existence of the Schengen area and the European Union. But here's the paradox: the absolute majority identify these two associations, which is fundamentally wrong. Let's figure it out.

The Schengen Agreement, signed by 26 countries, provides for the free movement of citizens of these countries across the territory of the Schengen member states. No border controls on internal borders, with the exception of external - with countries bordering the Schengen area.

In turn, the EU is a political and economic union of 28 countries.

Thus, the Schengen area and the European Union are completely two different organizations... Not all EU countries are members of the Schengen area, just as not all Schengen countries are EU members.

Nevertheless, a tourist who has received a Schengen visa stamp from one of the respective countries in his passport (we will not go into all the nuances, since there are several categories of visas, besides, no one has canceled the concepts of “first entry” and “main host country”), has the right to move freely within the countries of the Schengen area.

As of 2019 list of Schengen countries looks like this (in alphabetical order):

  1. Austria
  2. Belgium
  3. Hungary
  4. Germany
  5. Greece
  6. Denmark
  7. Iceland
  8. Spain
  9. Italy
  10. Latvia
  11. Lithuania
  12. Liechtenstein
  13. Luxembourg
  14. Malta
  15. Netherlands
  16. Norway
  17. Poland
  18. Portugal
  19. Slovakia
  20. Slovenia
  21. Finland
  22. France
  23. Czech Republic
  24. Switzerland
  25. Sweden
  26. Estonia

On closer examination, you will notice that four of the above list are not members of the European Union. We are talking about Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

In addition, among the countries that have signed the Schengen Agreement, there are no four active members of the European Union. These are Bulgaria, Cyprus, Romania and Croatia. This is due to the fact that these countries joined the EU after the creation of the Schengen area, and for various reasons, they do not yet reach the appropriate level. For example, Romania is accused of insufficient fight against corruption, and Cyprus has an unresolved conflict with Turkey (the occupation of the northern part of the island).

True, if you have a Schengen visa, you can freely enter these countries, although a few years ago, some of them required their national visas to enter.

Also keep in mind that dwarf European states such as Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican, which are not members of the European Union, de facto enter the Schengen area.

On a special account in the European Union, Great Britain and Ireland, which are full members of the EU, but at the same time do not enter the Schengen area and carry out their passport and visa policy.

Today list of member states of the European Union next (in alphabetical order):

  1. Austria
  2. Belgium
  3. Bulgaria
  4. Great Britain (preparing to withdraw from the association!)
  5. Hungary
  6. Germany
  7. Greece
  8. Denmark
  9. Ireland
  10. Spain
  11. Italy
  12. Latvia
  13. Lithuania
  14. Luxembourg
  15. Malta
  16. Netherlands
  17. Poland
  18. Portugal
  19. Romania
  20. Slovakia
  21. Slovenia
  22. Finland
  23. France
  24. Croatia
  25. Czech Republic
  26. Sweden
  27. Estonia

In conclusion, it should be noted that the above lists of Schengen and the European Union may well undergo changes in the near future. Do not forget that Albania, Iceland, Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Montenegro are on the waiting list for EU membership. Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are also knocking on the doors of the European Union. And talks about the deprivation of Greece's membership in the EU or the Schengen zone are being conducted more and more often.

Europe has become a pioneer on the path of integration development. It was the first among the regions of the world, on the basis of mutually beneficial cooperation, to form a single economic space - the European Union.

The European Union officially unites 28 states... List of countries included in the EU today:

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Which countries are members of the European Union

Beyond the EU member states, it includes the satellite territories of the main states (Aland Islands - Finland, Azores - Portugal, etc.).

Some european countries signed special agreements with the EU and are participating in its activities in certain areas. Partnership relations have been established with Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein. They introduced the Schengen Agreement on their territories... Thanks to this, the citizens of these states move freely around Europe. In turn, residents of the EU countries can freely visit Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The agreement between the EU and the Swiss Confederation operates in a similar way.

EU candidates

  1. Turkey - since 1987
  2. Macedonia - since 2004
  3. Montenegro - since 2008
  4. Albania - since 2009
  5. Serbia - since 2009

Possible applicant for enrollment in integration education is Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Kosovo. Associative relations in 2014 were consolidated with a number of states of Eastern Europe and Transcaucasia (Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia). In the future, they will be able to apply for membership.

However, in 2014, the leaders of the European Union spoke out against the implementation of integration processes in the near future. Until 2019, the expansion of European partnerships is not envisaged.

Of the candidate countries, Macedonia and Albania have real chances of being enrolled in the European integration group. Turkey's request has been rejected several times, due to non-fulfillment of a number of necessary requirements. In addition, it has significant differences in geolocation, ethnocultural and civilizational relations with the rest of the EU. The satisfaction of the applications of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Kosovo, is not possible due to their uncertain international status and the existence of disputed territorial issues with other states.

IN different time countries that are geographically very distant from the Old World: Chile, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Mexico, South Africa, declared their desire to join the single European space. However, their declarative appeals have no real basis.

Requirements for joining the European Union

To join the integration union, the applicant country must meet certain requirements. They were first presented in 1993, in the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen. The so-called Copenhagen criteria include:

  • Following the principles of democratic development.
  • Compliance with legal and humanitarian standards.
  • The presence of real economic growth.

Compliance with these requirements is comprehensively studied, an overall assessment is made, and recommendations are given. If the candidate country has failed to comply with the requirements within the prescribed time limit, its admission is postponed.

History of integration processes in Europe

For the first time the idea of \u200b\u200bthe possibility of integration within Europe was expressed in Paris at a conference in 1867. The real implementation of the project began almost a century later. The impetus for the formation of a new international association was R. Schumann's initiative to consolidate the efforts of France and Germany in the field of coal and steel production. To this end, in 1951, the creation of the European Coal and Steel Organization was announced. Later, it served as the foundation for the development of the European Union.

ECSC members are: France, Germany, Benelux, Italy. In 1957, they entered into an agreement on the operation of the EEC (European Economic Community) and Euratom. In 1993, the EEC was modified into the EU.

For 60 years (from 1957 to 2018.) The European Union has undergone a significant transformation: the number of member countries has increased by almost 5 times; geographically, the EU covered most of Europe.

The accession of new countries to the integration group was called “waves”. The following "waves" are distinguished in the history of EU enlargement:

1st (1973) - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland and Kingdom of Denmark

2nd (1081) - Hellenic Republic

3rd (1986) - Kingdom of Spain and Portuguese Republic

4th (1995) - Kingdom of Sweden, Republic of Austria, Finland

5th (2004) - Hungary, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Latvia, Republic of Lithuania, Republic of Malta, Republic of Poland, Slovak Republic, Republic of Slovenia, Czech Republic and Republic of Estonia

6th (2007) - Romania, Republic of Bulgaria

7th (2013) - Republic of Croatia

The list displays the order of joining countries to the EU zone (formerly the EEC).

How the Eurozone works

The modern design of the European Union is based on an agreement developed in 1992 in the Dutch city of Maastricht. Its main parameters are as follows:

  • the formation of an international association with common attitudes in the field of economics, politics and monetary relations;
  • development of a common market for goods and services, ensured by the unimpeded movement of production products;
  • coordination of joint efforts in the environmental field;
  • joint fight against crime.

The agreement entered into force on November 1. Its real consequences were the establishment of a single currency for the countries, the euro and the creation of visa-free travel (Schengen zone).

Secession from the EU

Along with the desire of many countries to join the EU, there are supporters of disintegration. In 2009, an agreement was initialed in Lisbon, regulating, among other things, the procedure for secession from the European Union. The procedure provides for a national referendum. If more than half of the citizens vote for secession from the EU, a special mechanism begins to operate.

I used the right to secession Great Britain. In the summer of 2016, a plebiscite was held in the kingdom known as Brexit. It was attended by over 30 million citizens of the United Kingdom. Almost 52% of the survey participants were in favor of leaving the EU. Most of the "Eurosceptics" live in England and Wales, and the inhabitants of Northern Ireland and Scotland are supporters of European integration who do not want to be cut off from the rest of Europe. The final exit of Britain is declared for 2019.

The current situation cannot be assessed unambiguously... On the one hand, a dangerous precedent will emerge. It can be used by other countries that are members of the EU and are dissatisfied with the policy pursued within the framework of a united Europe. On the other hand, the consolidation of the member states will intensify, aimed at strengthening relations within the EU.

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