Portal:European Union

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The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The Union has a total area of 4,233,255 km² (1,634,469 sq mi) and an estimated total population of over 449 million. The EU has often been described as a sui generis political entity combining the characteristics of both a federation and a confederation.

Containing 5.8% of the world population in 2020, EU member states generated a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of around US$16.6 trillion in 2022, constituting approximately one sixth of global nominal GDP. Additionally, all EU states except Bulgaria have a very high Human Development Index according to the United Nations Development Programme. Its cornerstone, the Customs Union, paved the way to establishing an internal single market based on standardised legal framework and legislation that applies 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. The eurozone is a group composed of the 20 EU member states that have fully implemented the economic and monetary union and use the euro currency. 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.

In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The United Kingdom became the only member state to leave the EU, in 2020; ten countries are aspiring or negotiating to join it. (Full article...)

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The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is in the Peace Palace at The Hague, Netherlands. Established in 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations, the Court began work in 1946 as the successor to the Permanent Court of International Justice. The Statute of the International Court of Justice, similar to that of its predecessor, is the main constitutional document constituting and regulating the Court. The ICJ should not be confused with the International Criminal Court or a court exercising jurisdiction under Belgium's War Crimes Law, both of which also potentially have "global" jurisdiction. English and French are its two official languages.

The Court's workload is characterised by a wide range of judicial activity. Its main functions are to settle legal disputes submitted to it by states and to give advisory opinions on legal questions submitted to it by duly authorised international organs and agencies. The number of decisions made by the ICJ has been relatively small, but there has clearly been an increased willingness to use the Court since the 1980s, especially among developing countries, although the USA withdrew from compulsory jurisdiction in 1986, meaning it accepts the court's jurisdiction on only a case-to-case basis.

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Euro sign

Diagram credit: Erina

The euro sign (€) is the currency symbol used for the euro, the official currency of the eurozone and a few other European countries. The design was presented to the public by the European Commission on 12 December 1996, and consists of a stylized letter E (or epsilon) crossed by two lines instead of one. While the Commission intended the euro sign to be a prescribed glyph, type designers made it clear that they intended instead to adapt the design to be consistent with the typefaces to which the symbol was to be added. Euro banknotes and coins entered into circulation on 1 January 2002, making it the day-to-day operating currency of its original members. This diagram shows the construction of the euro sign as formally specified by the European Commission.

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Did you know?

...that "Nocturne" is the Eurovision Song Contest winner with the fewest words, the Norwegian language original having only 25?

...that the Eastgate Clock (pictured) in Chester is the second most photographed timepiece in the United Kingdom, after Big Ben?

...that "Kinek mondjam el vétkeimet?" received three perfect scores at the start of voting in the Eurovision Song Contest 1994 before ultimately coming in fourth, making Hungary the only debuting nation to lead the voting?

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Berlin is the capital city and one of 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.4 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper in the European Union. Located in northeastern Germany, it is the center of the Berlin-Brandenburg Metropolitan Area, comprising 5 million people from over 190 nations. Geographically embedded in the European Plains, Berlin is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate. Around one third of the city's territory is composed of forests, parks, gardens, rivers and lakes.

First documented in the 13th century, Berlin was successively the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia (1701–1918), the German Empire (1871–1918), the Weimar Republic (1919–1933) and the Third Reich (1933–1945). During the 1920s, Berlin was the third largest municipality in the world. After World War II, the city was divided; East Berlin became the capital of East Germany while West Berlin became a de facto West German exclave, surrounded by the Berlin Wall (1961–1989). Following German reunification in 1990, the city regained its status as the capital of all Germany hosting 147 foreign embassies.

Berlin is a world city of culture, politics, media, and science. Its economy is primarily based on the service sector, encompassing a diverse range of creative industries, media corporations, congress and convention venues. Berlin serves as a continental hub for air and rail transport, and is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the EU. Significant industries include IT, pharmaceuticals, biomedical engineering, biotechnology, optoelectronics, traffic engineering, and renewable energy.

The metropolis is home to renowned universities, research institutes, sporting events, orchestras, museums and personalities. The urban and historical legacy has made it a popular setting for international film productions. The city is recognized for its festivals, diverse architecture, nightlife, contemporary arts, public transportation networks and a high quality of living.

Berlin has evolved into a global focal point for young individuals and artists attracted by a liberal lifestyle and modern zeitgeist.

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General images

The following are images from various European Union-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Organigram of the political system. The seven organs of the Union are in blue, national / intergovernmental elements in orange. (from Politics of the European Union)
Image 2Aristide Briand (from History of the European Union)
Image 3Logo of the Court of Justice of the European Union (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 4Signatories of the 2007 declaration in dark blue. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 5Newest state in yellow (from History of the European Union)
Image 6Boris Johnson Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022 (from History of the European Union)
Image 7Coins and banknotes of the Euro, the single-currency introduced from 1999 (from History of the European Union)
Image 8Flag of the Western Union (from History of the European Union)
Image 9The Frankish Empire at its greatest extent, ca. 814 AD (from History of the European Union)
Image 10A piece from the original manuscript. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 11Ursula von der Leyen President of the European Commission
(since 1 December 2019) (from History of the European Union)
Image 12Elaboration by sex (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 13Europa regina in Sebastian Münster's "Cosmographia", 1570 (from History of the European Union)
Image 14Meeting in the Hall of Knights in The Hague, during the Congress of Europe (9 May 1948) (from History of the European Union)
Image 15Logo of the European Court of Auditors (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 16The population density of the EU is 106 people per km². Note that the lights in the North Sea are from oil platforms. (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 17The flag of Europe, emblem of both the Council of Europe and the European Union. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 181922 European flag of the Paneuropean Union (from History of the European Union)
Image 19Logo of the European Central Bank (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 20The Euro symbol shown as a sculpture outside the European Central Bank (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 21Konrad Adenauer, Walter Hallstein and Antonio Segni, signing the European customs union and Euratom in Rome in 1957 (from History of the European Union)
Image 22Logo of the European Parliament (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 23After two devastating world wars, the political climate favoured an international unity that could preserve peace in Europe effectively (Hamburg, after a massive Allied bombing in 1943 in the picture). (from History of the European Union)
Image 24José Manuel Barroso President of the European Commission (2004-2014) (from History of the European Union)
Image 25Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy in the European Union in 2019 (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 26Political groups of the European Parliament in the Louise Weiss building after the election 2024:
  Group of the European People's Party (EPP)
  Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)
  Patriots for Europe (PfE)
  European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)
  Renew Europe (Renew)
  The Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA)
  The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL (The Left)
  Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN)
  Non-Inscrits (NI)
  Vacant (1)
(from Politics of the European Union)
Image 27The Schuman Parade in Warsaw has been organised by the Schuman Foundation since 1999 (2008 photograph). (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 28Percentage responding that their country on balance benefited from being a member of the EU at Eurobarometer 2023:

  91–100%

  81–90%

  71–80%

  61–70%

  51–60%

(from Politics of the European Union)
Image 29Donald Trump President of the United States (from History of the European Union)
Image 30The fertility rate in the EU was 1.46 in 2022 (Kindergarten in France). (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 31Population pyramid of the EU 27 in 2023 (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 32The ordinary legislative procedure of the European Union (from Politics of the European Union)
Image 33Kaja Kallas, High Representative Vice President (from Politics of the European Union)
Image 34Logo of the European Council and the Council of the European Union (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 35The European Coal and Steel Community's flag. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 36Logo of the European Commission (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 37A cartogram depicting the population distribution between old EU-27 member states in 2008 (including the UK and excluding Croatia). 57.8% of all citizens of the EU live in the four largest member states: Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 38Mario Draghi (from History of the European Union)
Image 39Winston Churchill (right, during the Atlantic Conference), consistent advocate of continential European integration, later along with his son-in-law Duncan Sandys (from History of the European Union)