Who is included in the European Union? The eurozone crisis

New countries are eager to enter the European Union, because there are favorable economic and political conditions for each state. However, rumors about a possible collapse of the countries of the European Commonwealth are alarming. Therefore, the question of the prestige of joining the Eurozone becomes topical. In order to understand this, it is necessary to find out who is part of the European Union and how the people really live in European countries.

EU countries

The idea of creating the European Commonwealth arose in 1950. It was put forward by Robert Schumann - Minister of Foreign Affairs (France).

In 1951 in Paris, the agreement on the European coal and steel community was signed by 6 countries: Italy, Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands. In 1973, they were added to the UK, Ireland, Denmark; In 1981 - Greece; In 1986 - Spain, Portugal; And in 1995 - Austria, Sweden and Finland.

In 2004, there was the largest accession, when the European Community included another 10 states.

The Maastricht Treaty, which provides for the formation of the European Union, was signed in 1993. At the moment, the Eurozone includes 28 states.

List of countries that are members of the European Union in 2013:

• Belgium;
• Germany;
• Italy;
• Luxembourg;
• Netherlands;
• France;
• United Kingdom;
• Denmark;
• Ireland;
• Greece;
• Portugal;
• Spain;
• Austria;
• Finland;
• Sweden;
• Hungary;
• Cyprus;
• Latvia;
• Lithuania;
• Malta;
• Poland;
• Slovakia;
• Slovenia;
• Czech Republic;
• Estonia;
• Bulgaria;
• Romania;
• Croatia.

The flag and anthem of the EU

The blue flag of the European Union is decorated with gold stars (12 pieces). The history of its creation looks paradoxical, because the flag itself appeared earlier than the formation of the EU.

Almost every economically savvy person knows who is part of the European Union, but why on his flag are 12 stars, not everyone knows. In fact, this number symbolizes the integral form of the universe, the number of months in a year and the number of digits on the dial of the clock. And the circle is the personification of unity.

For the first time such an emblem was introduced by the European Council, which dealt with human rights and issues of cultural life. And in 1986, the star-blue flag was declared the emblem of the EU.

In 1972, the EU anthem was chosen. They became an ode "To Joy", which in 1985 received an official approval. The European anthem has famous authors - Beethoven and Schiller.

The EU crisis

Today, the European Commonwealth combines the signs of an international-type organization and a supranational state. Many countries claim to enter the EU. Among them are Bosnia, Albania, Turkey, Montenegro. It is still unclear whether Switzerland is part of the European Union or not. The state has an agreement on a visa-free regime, but it is not part of the common economic space. This is why the customs control at the border of Switzerland remains.

Despite the seeming serenity, many EU member countries are undergoing an economic crisis. Here there are difficulties with the euro, which Germany supports in every possible way. Between Britain and the European Union, relations are becoming more acute. The surplus of the balance of payments between the EU states continues to expand.

Financier George Soros (USA) warns that the Eurozone is threatened with disintegration. Between the creditor states and the debtors of the EU, the gap is widening, and economic improvements are not yet foreseen.

Will Ukraine enter the EU?

Now many people are worried about who enters the European Union within the framework of the agreed program of EU enlargement. Today it is the Western Balkans, Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina.

Not so long ago Evangelos Venizelos - the vice-premier, presiding in the EU, - said that Moldova is not a priority of the European Union.

Jose Manuel Barroso, chairman of the European Commission, argues that Ukraine is not ready to join the European Union. And the European Commonwealth is not yet ready to accept the country into its ranks. The EU member states do not express unanimity on the issue of Ukraine's accession. They believe that the country needs to carry out a number of reforms, including on combating corruption, and to increase the level of accountability of the authorities to the society. Until this happens, the state can not claim membership in the EU. In addition, Ukraine at this stage must solve many other problems.

Ways to overcome the European crisis

The countries that are part of the European Union in 2014 are absorbed in the economic crisis. Even large states, such as France, could not resist the negative changes in the Eurozone. And the UK is increasingly declaring withdrawal from the EU.

In order to preserve the European Union, it is necessary to take economic measures of a radical nature: to return the states to national currencies provided that the euro is preserved or to strengthen the supranational role of the Eurozone.

The question of who enters the European Union is inferior to the growing problem of overcoming the economic crisis in Europe. If it is possible to normalize the political and economic situation in the EU and save the euro, other candidate countries may soon become its members.