Notes
1. ^ De facto (though not de jure) excludes the disputed territory of Turkish Cyprus and the
2. ^ … See more

Abbreviations have been used as a shorthand way of grouping countries by their date of accession.
• EU15 includes the fifteen countries in the European Union from 1 January 1995 to 30 April 2004. … See more

According to the Copenhagen criteria, membership of the European Union is open to any European country that is a stable, free-market liberal democracy that respects the rule of law and human rights. Furthermor… See more

Each state has representation in the institutions of the European Union. Full membership gives the government of a member state a seat in the Council of the European Union and European Council. When deci… See more

While the member states are sovereign, the union partially follows a supranational system for those functions agreed by treaty to be shared. ("Competences not conferred upon the Union in the Treaties remain with the membe… See more

EU integration is not always symmetrical, with some states proceeding with integration ahead of hold-outs. There are several different forms of closer integration both within and outside the EU's normal framework. … See more