1. European Union

2. EU Basics
The European Union is a unique economic and political partnership between 27 European countries.

3. It has delivered half a century of peace, stability, and prosperity, helped raise living standards, launched a single European Currency, and is progressively building a single Europe-wide market in which people, goods, services, and capital move among Member States as freely as within one country.

4. The EU was created in the aftermath of World War II
The EU was created in the aftermath of World War II. The first steps were to foster economic cooperation: countries that trade with one another are economically interdependent and will thus avoid conflict.

5. Since then, the union has developed into a huge single market with the Euro as its common currency. What began as a purely economic union has evolved into an organization spanning all areas, from development aid to environmental policy.

6. The EU actively promotes human rights and democracy and has the most ambitious emission reduction targets for fighting climate change in the world. Thanks to abolition of border controls between EU countries, it is now possible for people to travel freely within most of the EU. It has also become much easier to live and work in another EU country.

7. Joining the EU
Becoming a member of the EU is a complex procedure which does not happen overnight. Once an applicant country meets the conditions for membership, it must implement EU rules and regulation in all areas.

8. Any country that satisfies the conditions for membership can apply
Any country that satisfies the conditions for membership can apply. These conditions are known as the “Copenhagen criteria” and include a free market economy, a stable democracy and the rule of law, and the acceptance of all EU legislation, including the euro.

9. A country wishing to join the EU submits a membership application to the Council, which asks the Commission to assess the applicant’s ability to meet the Copenhagen criteria. If the Commission’s opinion is positive, the Council must then agree upon a negotiating mandate. Negotiations are then formally opened on a subject-by-subject basis.

10. Due to the huge volume of EU rules and regulations each candidate country must adopt as national law, the negotiations take time to complete. The candidates are supported financially, administratively and technically during this pre-accession period.