The European Union consists of 15 countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. It is based on a series of treaties drawn up between the major European powers in the years following World War II, culminating in the signing of the Treaty of Maastricht in 1992 establishing the union.
The ultimate goal of the European Union is "an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe, in which decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen." The objective is to promote economic and social progress which is balanced and sustainable, assert the European identity on the international scene, and introduce a European citizenship for the nationals of the member states.
The current focus of the Union is the incorporation of new member states from Central and Eastern Europe, and the establishment of a single European currency, the euro.
