European Union
The European Union (EU) is a legal and economic union of 27 European nations. It was formed in 1993 with the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty, though its predecessor, the European Economic Community, was founded in 1957.
As an institution, the EU has more powers over its member states and their citizens than is the case with most international bodies; 13 of its member states also use a common currency, the Euro. It is not, however, generally regarded as a federation or state in its own right. Rather, it stands somewhere between these two points.
The policies of the EU tend to be liberal or even socialist by American standards, in keeping with the generally liberal political culture of European countries.
A significant number of Europeans on the political right of centre are opposed to the EU on the grounds that it undermines national sovereignty and identity. Such people are known in British English as "Eurosceptics", and they include such people as the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (although, while in power, she committed Britain to the 1986 Single European Act, a major integrationist measure) and the members of the UK Independence Party. They also, however, include less well-respected right-wing politicians belonging to extreme or fascist parties, such as France's Jean-Marie Le Pen. There are also extreme left-wing opponents of the European Union, such as Die Linke in Germany, who regard it as consituting an anti-progressive "Fortress Europe", and claim that EU membership impedes countries from following socialist policies.
There are three official candidates being considered for membership, Turkey, Croatia and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Typically a country that is considered will have to make some economic or social changes to bring it in line with other member states.
Here is a map of the European Union as of January 2007, including countries seeking to join:
Gateway to the European Union (EU official website [1]