As of January 2007, the European Union (EU) has a total of 27 member states. The newest members, Romania and Bulgaria, joined on January 1, 2007. The largest number of countries to ever join the EU at once occurred on May 1, 2004, when 10 Eastern European countries, including Poland, Hungary the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, fulfilled accession criteria and became full members of the EU, along with Malta and Cyprus.
The original member states of the EU include Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany, which all joined in 1958. The next wave of accession countries, namely Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom, joined in 1973. Greece entered the EU in 1981, while Portugal and Spain became full members in 1986. The next group of countries entered the EU nearly 10 years later, in 1995, and included Austria, Finland and Sweden.
It is important to remember that while the EU has 27 member states, not all of them are part of the Euro zone, and thus many still use their own national currencies, rather than the Euro. The UK, Sweden and Denmark, for example, have decided to maintain an independent monetary regime, while states that joined after 2004 (with the exception of Slovenia) also still use their own currencies.
The original member states of the EU include Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany, which all joined in 1958. The next wave of accession countries, namely Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom, joined in 1973. Greece entered the EU in 1981, while Portugal and Spain became full members in 1986. The next group of countries entered the EU nearly 10 years later, in 1995, and included Austria, Finland and Sweden.
It is important to remember that while the EU has 27 member states, not all of them are part of the Euro zone, and thus many still use their own national currencies, rather than the Euro. The UK, Sweden and Denmark, for example, have decided to maintain an independent monetary regime, while states that joined after 2004 (with the exception of Slovenia) also still use their own currencies.
