Current list of all 27 European Union countries

The "Birthday" of the European Union is considered May 9, 1950. At present, May 9 is celebrated annually as Europe Day.

The first agreement establishing the European Economic Community was signed in 1957 by six countries: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom joined in 1973, Greece in 1981, Spain and Portugal in 1986. In subsequent years many other countries joined the Union. The United Kingdom withdrew from the European Union on January 31, 2020. Today the EU consists of 27 member countries.

It is not only an economic union but the single market with no borders for trade and the single euro currency used by 20 member states of the Eurozone. Furthermore, it is the political union with own parliament and other institutions. The Schengen Agreement signed in 1985 allows free movement of citizens without passport controls at border crossings within Schengen Area.