Portal:European Union

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The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. The Union has a total area of 4,233,255 km² (1,634,469 sq mi) and an estimated total population of over 448 million. The EU has often been described as a sui generis political entity (without precedent or comparison) combining the characteristics of both a federation and a confederation.

Containing 5.8% of the world population in 2020, EU member states generated a nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of around US$16.6 trillion in 2022, constituting approximately one sixth of global nominal GDP. Additionally, all EU states except Bulgaria have a very high Human Development Index according to the United Nations Development Programme. Its cornerstone, the Customs Union, paved the way to establishing an internal single market based on standardised legal framework and legislation that applies in all member states in those matters, and only those matters, where the states have agreed to act as one. EU policies aim to ensure the free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the internal market; enact legislation in justice and home affairs; and maintain common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries and regional development. Passport controls have been abolished for travel within the Schengen Area. The eurozone is a group composed of the 20 EU member states that have fully implemented the economic and monetary union and use the euro currency. Through the Common Foreign and Security Policy, the union has developed a role in external relations and defence. It maintains permanent diplomatic missions throughout the world and represents itself at the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the G7 and the G20. Due to its global influence, the European Union has been described by some scholars as an emerging superpower.

In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The United Kingdom became the only member state to leave the EU, in 2020; ten countries are aspiring or negotiating to join it. (Full article...)

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Same-sex marriage in Spain was legalised in 2005. In 2004, the new Socialist government, led by President José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, began a campaign for its legalization, which would include adoption by same-sex couples. After much debate, a law permitting same-sex marriage was passed by the Cortes Generales on 30 June 2005 and published on 2 July 2005. Same-sex marriage officially became legal in Spain on Sunday, 3 July 2005. The ratification of this law has not been devoid of conflict, despite support from 66% of Spaniards. Catholic authorities in particular were adamantly opposed to it, fearing the weakening of the meaning of marriage. Demonstrations for and against the law drew thousands of people from all parts of Spain.

Approximately 4,500 same-sex couples have married in Spain during the first year of the law. Shortly after the law was passed, questions arose about the legal status of marriage to non-Spaniards whose country did not permit same-sex marriage. A ruling from the Spanish Justice ministry stated that the country's same-sex marriage law allows a Spanish citizen to marry a non-Spaniard regardless of whether that person's homeland recognizes the partnership. At least one partner must be a Spanish citizen to marry.

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Arc de Triomphe

Photo credit: Benh Lieu Song

The Arc de Triomphe at night. Commissioned by Napoleon after the victory in the Battle of Austerlitz, it stands in the middle of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées. At 51 metres (167 ft) high and 45 m (148 ft) wide, it is the second-largest triumphal arch in the world. The monument honors soldiers throughout French history, and houses the tomb of the unknown soldier.

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Did you know?

... that the presidency of the EU Council rotates every half year?

... that the EU parliamentary election is the world's biggest transnational election?

... that the European Union was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012?

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Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated on the Vltava river in central Bohemia, it is home to approximately 1.2 million people. Since 1992, the historic center of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. According to Guinness World Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world.

The land where Prague was to be built has been settled since the Paleolithic Age. Several thousands of years ago, there were trade routes connecting southern parts of Europe to northern Europe which passed through this area, following the course of the river. From around 500 BC the Celtic tribe known as the Boii, were the first known inhabitants of this region known by name. The Boii named the region Bohemia and the river Vltava. In between the 6th and 9th centuries AD the Germanic tribe Marcomanni migrated to Bohemia and other Germanic tribes followed during the 5th century AD, but in the 6th century their elites and majority of inhabitants moved to the Danubian area which enabled a Slavic tribe invading from the West, to settle this area. The Czech Slavic tribe came to Bohemia in the 6th century and Forefather Czech became the founder of the Czech nation.

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General images

The following are images from various European Union-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1The fertility rate in the EU was 1.46 in 2022 (Kindergarten in France). (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 2Meeting in the Hall of Knights in The Hague, during the Congress of Europe (9 May 1948) (from History of the European Union)
Image 3After two devastating world wars, the political climate favoured an international unity that could preserve peace in Europe effectively (Hamburg, after a massive Allied bombing in 1943 in the picture). (from History of the European Union)
Image 4Logo of the Court of Justice of the European Union (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 5Logo of the European Central Bank (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 6Logo of the European Council and the Council of the European Union (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 7A piece from the original manuscript. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 8Aristide Briand (from History of the European Union)
Image 9The flag of Europe, emblem of both the Council of Europe and the European Union. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 10Europa regina in Sebastian Münster's "Cosmographia", 1570 (from History of the European Union)
Image 11Logo of the European Court of Auditors (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 12José Manuel Barroso President of the European Commission (2004-2014) (from History of the European Union)
Image 13The ordinary legislative procedure of the European Union (from Politics of the European Union)
Image 14The population density of the EU is 106 people per km². N.B. the light in the North Sea, as well as much of Norway, is from Routine flaring not human habitation. (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 15Ursula von der Leyen President of the European Commission
(since 1 December 2019) (from History of the European Union)
Image 16A cartogram depicting the population distribution between old EU-27 member states in 2008 (including the UK and excluding Croatia). 57.8% of all citizens of the EU live in the four largest member states: Germany, France, Italy, and Spain. (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 17Boris Johnson Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022 (from History of the European Union)
Image 18Newest state in yellow (from History of the European Union)
Image 19Coins and banknotes of the Euro, the single-currency introduced from 1999 (from History of the European Union)
Image 20The Schuman Parade in Warsaw has been organised by the Schuman Foundation since 1999 (2008 photograph). (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 21The Euro symbol shown as a sculpture outside the European Central Bank (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 22Signatories of the 2007 declaration in dark blue. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 23Elaboration by sex (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 24Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy in the European Union in 2019 (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 25Population pyramid of the EU 27 in 2023 (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 26Political groups of the European Parliament in the Louise Weiss building after the election 2014:
  Group of the European People's Party (EPP)
  Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)
  Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)
  European Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA)
  European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)
  European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)
  Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD)
  Non-Inscrits (NI)
(from Politics of the European Union)
Image 27Organigram of the political system. The seven organs of the Union are in blue, national / intergovernmental elements in orange. (from Politics of the European Union)
Image 28Winston Churchill (right, during the Atlantic Conference), consistent advocate of continential European integration, later along with his sun-in-law Duncan Sandys (from History of the European Union)
Image 29Logo of the European Commission (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 30The European Coal and Steel Community's flag. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 31Logo of the European Parliament (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 32Konrad Adenauer, Walter Hallstein and Antonio Segni, signing the European customs union and Euratom in Rome in 1957 (from History of the European Union)
Image 331922 European flag of the Paneuropean Union (from History of the European Union)
Image 34The Frankish Empire at its greatest extent, ca. 814 AD (from History of the European Union)
Image 35Flag of the Western Union (from History of the European Union)
Image 36Hearing of Josep Borrell, High Representative Vice President (from Politics of the European Union)