Preliminary statement

This entry, which appears only in the European Union, Introduction category, provides an explanation and justification for the inclusion of a separate European Union geographic entity.

• European Union

  The evolution of what is today the European Union (EU) from a regional economic agreement among six neighboring states in 1951 to today's hybrid intergovernmental and supranational organization of 27 countries across the European continent stands as an unprecedented phenomenon in the annals of history. Dynastic unions for territorial consolidation were long the norm in Europe; on a few occasions even country-level unions were arranged - the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were examples.  For such a large number of nation-states to cede some of their sovereignty to an overarching entity is unique.

  Although the EU is not a federation in the strict sense, it is far more than a free-trade association such as ASEAN or Mercosur, and it has certain attributes associated with independent nations: its own flag, currency (for some members), and law-making abilities, as well as diplomatic representation and a common foreign and security policy in its dealings with external partners.

  Thus, inclusion of basic intelligence on the EU has been deemed appropriate as a separate entity in The World Factbook.