The European Union (EU) is an economic and political partnership of 27 democratic European countries. Three countries (Croatia, Macedonia, and Turkey) have applied for membership.
When the 12 original members formed the EU in 1992, the primary motivation was to reassert the region’s economic position against the United States and Japan. Before then, each European nation had border controls, taxes, and subsidies; nationalistic policies; and protected industries.
European Union (EU) is the 27-nation European economic alliance.