A Visual Guide to Europe’s Member States

Who are Europe’s Member States?

With Ukraine’s recent bid to join the European Union (EU), the current status of Europe’s member states is back in the fray.

The European member states are countries mainly in Europe, and three outside, that are part of one or more of the four major treaty groups, namely the European Union (EU), NATO, Schengen, and eurozone.

Each of these institutions governs a different aspect of the region’s infrastructure.

Let’s take a look at each of them.

European Union

The European Union (EU) is a unique economic and political union between 27 European countries.

First created as the European Economic Community in the aftermath of WW2, the organization’s main focus was to foster economic cooperation. The idea was simple: countries that trade with one another and become economically interdependent are more likely to avoid conflict.

Beginning with six countries in 1958, the European Economic Community has since added 21 more countries (the UK left the EU in 2020), with a primary focus on single or internal markets.

Here are the countries that comprise the European Union:

Number	Countries	Year of Accession
1	🇦🇹 Austria	1995
2	🇧🇪 Belgium	Founder
3	🇧🇬 Bulgaria	2007
4	🇭🇷 Croatia	2013
5	🇨🇾 Cyprus	2004
6	🇨🇿 Czech Republic	2004
7	🇩🇰 Denmark	1973
8	🇪🇪 Estonia	2004
9	🇫🇮 Finland	1995
10	🇫🇷 France	Founder
11	🇩🇪 Germany	Founder
12	🇬🇷 Greece	1981
13	🇭🇺 Hungary	2004
14	🇮🇪 Ireland	1973
15	🇮🇹 Italy	Founder
16	🇱🇻 Latvia	2004
17	🇱🇹 Lithuania	2004
18	🇱🇺 Luxembourg	Founder
19	🇲🇹 Malta	2004
20	🇳🇱 Netherlands	Founder
21	🇵🇱 Poland	2004
22	🇵🇹 Portugal	1986
23	🇷🇴 Romania	2007
24	🇸🇰 Slovakia	2004
25	🇸🇮 Slovenia	2004
26	🇪🇸 Spain	1986
27	🇸🇪 Sweden	1995

What began as a purely economic union has evolved into an organization pioneering the development of many different policy areas. A name change from the European Economic Community to the European Union in 1993 reflected this.

NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) exists for the sole purpose of facilitating a political and military alliance between its 30 member countries.

Established in 1949 in response to post-WW2 Soviet aggression, NATO exists for the collective defense and security of the group. Members share few laws and regulations. An attack on one constitutes an attack on all, and member states are obligated to defend one another.

The chronological timeline of NATO’s expansion since its establishment paints a fascinating picture.

As of 2021, NATO officially recognizes three aspiring NATO members: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, and Ukraine. Ukraine has voiced its desire to join NATO since 2014 but hasn’t met its political and military criteria.

Eurozone

The eurozone is a geographic and economic region that consists of countries that have adopted the euro as their national currency. Approximately 340 million people live in the euro area.

Today, the eurozone consists of 19 countries of the European Union. Here they are:

Number	Countries	Year of Adoption
1	🇦🇹 Austria	1999
2	🇧🇪 Belgium	1999
3	🇨🇾 Cyprus	2008
4	🇪🇪 Estonia	2011
5	🇫🇮 Finland	1999
6	🇫🇷 France	1999
7	🇩🇪 Germany	1999
8	🇬🇷 Greece	2001
9	🇮🇪 Ireland	1999
10	🇮🇹 Italy	1999
11	🇱🇻 Latvia	2014
12	🇱🇹 Lithuania	2015
13	🇱🇺 Luxembourg	1999
14	🇲🇹 Malta	2008
15	🇳🇱 Netherlands	1999
16	🇵🇹 Portugal	1999
17	🇸🇰 Slovakia	2009
18	🇸🇮 Slovenia	2007
19	🇪🇸 Spain	1999

European Union nations that decide to participate in the eurozone must meet a multitude of financial requirements. They include price stability, sound public finances, the durability of convergence, and exchange rate stability.

Not all countries have to adopt the currency, though. For example, Denmark has a special opt-out clause to use its own currency and maintain its financial independence.

Schengen

The Schengen Area comprises 26 European countries that agreed to create common entry and exit requirements to remove the need for internal borders. This allows travellers up to 90 days of visa-free travel to any of the countries in the Schengen Area.

The border-free Schengen Area guarantees free movement to more than 400 million EU citizens, along with non-EU nationals living in the EU or visiting as tourists, exchange students, or for business purposes.

Here’s a list of the 26 countries that are a part of the Schengen Area:

Number	Countries	Year of Implementation
1	🇦🇹 Austria	1997
2	🇧🇪 Belgium	1995
3	🇨🇿 Czech Republic	2007
4	🇩🇰 Denmark	2001
5	🇪🇪 Estonia	2007
6	🇫🇮 Finland	2001
7	🇫🇷 France	1995
8	🇩🇪 Germany	1995
9	🇬🇷 Greece	2000
10	🇭🇺 Hungary	2007
11	🇮🇸 Iceland	2001
12	🇮🇹 Italy	1997
13	🇱🇻 Latvia	2007
14	🇱🇮 Liechtenstein	2011
15	🇱🇹 Lithuania	2007
16	🇱🇺 Luxembourg	1995
17	🇲🇹 Malta	2007
18	🇳🇱 Netherlands	1995
19	🇳🇴 Norway	2001
20	🇵🇱 Poland	2007
21	🇵🇹 Portugal	1995
22	🇸🇰 Slovakia	2007
23	🇸🇮 Slovenia	2007
24	🇪🇸 Spain	1995
25	🇸🇪 Sweden	2001
26	🇨🇭 Switzerland	2008

Monaco, Vatican City, and San Marino also have open borders with Schengen area countries even though they aren’t part of the treaty.