European Union
The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. An internal single market has been established through a standardised system of laws that apply in all member states in those matters, and only those matters, where the states have agreed to act as one. 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. Passport controls have been abolished for travel within the Schengen Area. A monetary union was established in 1999, coming into full force in 2002, and is composed of 19 member states which use the euro currency. The EU has often been described as a "sui generis" political entity (without precedent or comparison) with the characteristics of either a federation or confederation.

The union and EU citizenship were established when the Maastricht Treaty came into force in 1993. The EU traces its origins to the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and the European Economic Community (EEC), established, respectively, by the 1951 Treaty of Paris and 1957 Treaty of Rome. The original member states of what came to be known as the European Communities were the Inner Six: Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. The communities and their successors have grown in size by the accession of new member states and in power by the addition of policy areas to their remit. The United Kingdom became the first member state to leave the EU on 31 January 2020. Before this, three territories of member states had left the EU or its forerunners. The latest major amendment to the constitutional basis of the EU, the Treaty of Lisbon, came into force in 2009.

Containing some 5.8 per cent of the world population in 2020, the EU had generated a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of around trillion in 2021, constituting approximately 18 per cent of global nominal GDP. Additionally, all EU countries have a very high Human Development Index according to the United Nations Development Programme. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Through the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the union has developed a role in external relations and defence. It maintains permanent diplomatic missions throughout the world and represents itself at the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the G7 and the G20. Due to its global influence, the European Union has been described by some scholars as an emerging superpower.
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member states
Concept
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An internal single market
Concept
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system of laws
Concept
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trade
Concept
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agriculture
MEDIA
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fisheries
UNK
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regional development
Concept
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Schengen Area
LOC
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A monetary union
ORG
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19 member states
ORG
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euro currency
Concept
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sui generis
Concept
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EU citizenship
PER
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Maastricht Treaty
MEDIA
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European Coal and Steel Community
ORG
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European Economic Community
ORG
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Treaty of Paris
MEDIA
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Treaty of Rome
MEDIA
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European Communities
ORG
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Inner Six
UNK
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West Germany
LOC
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the accession of new member states
MEDIA
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leave the EU
Concept
Q3123616
left the EU
TIME
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Treaty of Lisbon
ORG
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gross domestic product
Concept
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nominal GDP
Concept
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Human Development Index
MISC
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United Nations Development Program
ORG
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Nobel Peace Prize
EVE
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Common Foreign and Security Policy
MEDIA
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external relations
Concept
Q511733
defence
MEDIA
Q3043424
diplomatic missions
Concept
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represents itself
MEDIA
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United Nations
Concept
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World Trade Organization
Concept
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G7
PER
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G20
ORG
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emerging superpower
UNK
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European Union
ORG
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European Union
ORG
1999-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1999
DATE
2002-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2002
DATE
1993-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1993
DATE
1951-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1951
DATE
1957-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
1957
DATE
2020-01-31T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
31 January 2020
DATE
2009-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2009
DATE
2020-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2020
DATE
2021-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2021
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2012-01-01T00:00:00Z^^http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#dateTime
2012
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19
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5.8
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18
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7
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20
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currency
part of
inception
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point in time