Background: Following the two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century, a number of far-sighted European leaders in the late 1940s sought a response to the overwhelming desire for peace and reconciliation on the continent. In 1950, the French Foreign Minister Robert SCHUMAN proposed pooling the production of coal and steel in Western Europe and setting up an organization for that purpose that would bring France and the Federal Republic of Germany together and would be open to other countries as well. The following year, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was set up when six members - Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands - signed the Treaty of Paris.

Map reference: Europe

Area
Total: 4,236,351 km²
Comparative: less than one-half the size of the US

Land boundaries
Total: 13,770 km
Border countries: (17) Albania 212 km; , Andorra 118 km; , Belarus 1176 km; , Bosnia and Herzegovina 956 km; , Holy See 3 km; , Liechtenstein 34 km; , Macedonia 396 km; , Moldova 683 km; , Monaco 6 km; , Montenegro 19 km; , Norway 2,375 km; , Russia 2,435 km; , San Marino 37 km; , Serbia 1353 km; , Switzerland 1729 km; , Turkey 415 km; , United Kingdom 499 km; , Ukraine 1324 km
Note: data for European continent only

Coastline: 53,563.9 km

Climate: cold temperate; potentially subarctic in the north to temperate; mild wet winters; hot dry summers in the south

Terrain: fairly flat along Baltic and Atlantic coasts; mountainous in the central and southern areas

Elevation
Highest point: Mont Blanc, France 4,810 m
Lowest point: Zuidplaspolder, Netherlands -7 m

Natural resources: iron ore, natural gas, petroleum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, bauxite, uranium, potash, salt, hydropower, arable land, timber, fish

Irrigated land: 154,539.82 km² (2011 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 2,057.76 cubic meters (2011)

Natural hazards: flooding along coasts; avalanches in mountainous area; earthquakes in the south; volcanic eruptions in Italy; periodic droughts in Spain; ice floes in the Baltic

Population
Distribution: population distribution varies considerably from country to country, but tends to follow a pattern of coastal and river settlement, with urban agglomerations forming large hubs facilitating large scale housing, industry, and commerce; the area in and around the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg (known collectively as Benelux), is the most densely populated area in the EU
Growth rate: -0.69% 0.10% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line: 9.8% (2013 est.)
Below poverty line note: see individual country entries of member states

Languages: Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish
Note: only the 24 official languages are listed; German, the major language of Germany and Austria, is the most widely spoken mother tongue - about 16% of the EU population; English is the most widely spoken foreign language - about 29% of the EU population is conversant with it; English is an official language in Ireland and Malta and thus remained an official EU language after the UK left the bloc (2020)

Religions: Roman Catholic 41%, Orthodox 10%, Protestant 9%, other Christian 4%, Muslim 2%, other 4% (includes Jewish, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu), atheist 10%, non-believer/agnostic  17%, unspecified 3% (2019 est.)

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.05% (male 34,978,216/female 33,217,600)
15-24 years: 10.39% (male 24,089,260/female 22,990,579)
25-54 years: 40.54% (male 92,503,000/female 91,144,596)
55-64 years: 13.52% (male 29,805,200/female 31,424,172)
65 years and over: 20.5% (male 39,834,507/female 53,020,673) (2020 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: NA
Youth dependency ratio: NA
Elderly dependency ratio: NA
Potential support ratio: NA

Median age
Total: 44 years
Male: 42.6 years
Female: 45.5 years (2020 est.)

Population growth rate: -0.69% 0.10% (2021 est.)

Birth rate: 9.5 births/1000 population (2020 est.)

Death rate: 10.7 deaths/1000 population (2021 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.85 migrant(s)/1000 population 2.2 migrant(s)/1000 population (2021 est.)

Population distribution: population distribution varies considerably from country to country, but tends to follow a pattern of coastal and river settlement, with urban agglomerations forming large hubs facilitating large scale housing, industry, and commerce; the area in and around the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg (known collectively as Benelux), is the most densely populated area in the EU

Environment
Current issues: various forms of air, soil, and water pollution; see individual country entries
International agreements party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 2006
International agreements signed but not ratified: Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds

Air pollutants
Carbon dioxide emissions: 2,881.62 megatons (2016 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 3.47 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 3.32 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 3.62 deaths/1000 live births (2021 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.63 years
Male: 72.98 years
Female: 82.51 years (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.62 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: NA

Drinking water source
Improved urban: NA
Improved rural: NA
Improved total: NA
Unimproved urban: NA
Unimproved rural: NA
Unimproved total: NA

Current health expenditure: 9.9% (2016)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: note - see individual entries of member states
People living with hivaids: note - see individual entries of member states
Deaths: note - see individual entries of member states

Major infectious diseases
Note: widespread ongoing transmission of a respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is occurring regionally; the US Department of Homeland Security has issued instructions requiring US passengers who have been in the European Union’s Schengen Area (comprised of the following 26 European states: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) to travel through select airports where the US Government has implemented enhanced screening procedures

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: NA

Education expenditures: 4.7% of GDP (2019)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 18.7%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 18.5%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 19.2% (2020 est.)

Capital
Name: Brussels (Belgium), Strasbourg (France), Luxembourg, Frankfurt (Germany); note - the European Council, a gathering of the EU heads of state and/or government, and the Council of the European Union, a ministerial-level body of 10 formations, meet in Brussels, Belgium, except for Council meetings held in Luxembourg in April, June, and October; the European Parliament meets in Brussels and Strasbourg, France, and has administrative offices in Luxembourg; the Court of Justice of the European Union is located in Luxembourg; and the European Central Bank is located in Frankfurt, Germany
Geographic coordinates: 50 50 N, 4 20 E (Brussels)
Time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Timezone note: the 27 European Union countries spread across three time zones; a proposal has been put forward to do away with daylight savings time in all EU member states

Independence: 7 February 1992 (Maastricht Treaty signed establishing the European Union); 1 November 1993 (Maastricht Treaty entered into force)
Note: the Treaties of Rome, signed on 25 March 1957 and subsequently entered into force on 1 January 1958, created the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community; a series of subsequent treaties have been adopted to increase efficiency and transparency, to prepare for new member states, and to introduce new areas of cooperation - such as a single currency; the Treaty of Lisbon, signed on 13 December 2007 and entered into force on 1 December 2009 is the most recent of these treaties and is intended to make the EU more democratic, more efficient, and better able to address global problems with one voice

National holiday: Europe Day (also known as Schuman Day), 9 May (1950); note - the day in 1950 that Robert SCHUMAN proposed the creation of what became the European Coal and Steel Community, the progenitor of today's European Union, with the aim of achieving a united Europe

Constitution
History: none; note - the EU legal order relies primarily on two consolidated texts encompassing all provisions as amended from a series of past treaties: the Treaty on European Union (TEU), as modified by the 2009 Lisbon Treaty states in Article 1 that 'the HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES establish among themselves a EUROPEAN UNION ... on which the Member States confer competences to attain objectives they have in common'; Article 1 of the TEU states further that the EU is 'founded on the present Treaty and on the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as 'the Treaties'),' both possessing the same legal value; Article 6 of the TEU provides that a separately adopted Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union 'shall have the same legal value as the Treaties'
Amendments: European Union treaties can be amended in several ways: 1) Ordinary Revision Procedure (for key amendments to the treaties); initiated by an EU country’s government, by the European Parliament, or by the European Commission; following adoption of the proposal by the European Council, a convention is formed of national government representatives to review the proposal and subsequently a conference of government representatives also reviews the proposal; passage requires ratification by all EU member states; 2) Simplified Revision Procedure (for amendment of EU internal policies and actions); passage of a proposal requires unanimous European Council vote following European Council consultation with the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the European Central Bank (if the amendment concerns monetary matters) and requires ratification by all EU member states; 3) Passerelle Clause (allows the alteration of a legislative procedure without a formal amendment of the treaties); 4) Flexibility Clause (permits the EU to decide in subject areas where EU competences have not been explicitly granted in the Treaties but are necessary to the attainment of the objectives set out in the Treaty); note - the Treaty of Lisbon (signed in December 2007 and effective in December 2009) amended the two treaties that formed the EU - the Maastricht Treaty (1993) and the Treaty of Rome (1958), known in updated form as the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union

Legal system: unique supranational law system in which, according to an interpretive declaration of member-state governments appended to the Treaty of Lisbon, 'the Treaties and the law adopted by the Union on the basis of the Treaties have primacy over the law of Member States' under conditions laid down in the case law of the Court of Justice; key principles of EU law include fundamental rights as guaranteed by the Charter of Fundamental Rights and as resulting from constitutional traditions common to the EU's 27 member states; EU law is divided into 'primary' and 'secondary' legislation; primary legislation is derived from the consolidated versions of the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and are the basis for all EU action; secondary legislation - which includes directives, regulations, and decisions - is derived from the principles and objectives set out in the treaties

Suffrage: 18 years of age (16 years in Austria); universal; voting for the European Parliament is permitted in each member state

Executive branch: under the EU treaties there are three distinct institutions, each of which conducts functions that may be regarded as executive in nature:
European Council - brings together heads of state and government, along with the president of the European Commission, and meets at least four times a year; its aim is to provide the impetus for the development of the Union and to issue general policy guidelines; the Treaty of Lisbon established the position of 'permanent' (full-time) president of the European Council; leaders of the EU member states appoint the president for a 2 1/2 year term, renewable once; the president's responsibilities include chairing the EU summits and providing policy and organizational continuity; the current president is Charles MICHEL (Belgium), since 1 December 2019, succeeding Donald TUSK (Poland; 2014 - 2019)
Council of the European Union - consists of ministers of each EU member state and meets regularly in 10 different configurations depending on the subject matter; it conducts policymaking and coordinating functions as well as legislative functions; ministers of EU member states chair meetings of the Council of the EU based on a 6-month rotating presidency except for the meetings of EU Foreign Ministers in the Foreign Affairs Council that are chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
European Commission - headed by a College of Commissioners comprised of 28 members (one from each member country) including the president; each commissioner is responsible for one or more policy areas; the Commission's main responsibilities include the sole right to initiate EU legislation (except for foreign and security/defense policy), promoting the general interest of the EU, acting as 'guardian of the Treaties' by monitoring the application of EU law, implementing/executing the EU budget, managing programs, negotiating on the EU's behalf in core policy areas such as trade, and ensuring the Union's external representation in some policy areas; its current president is Ursula VON DER LEYEN (Germany) elected on 16 July 2019 (took office on 1 December 2019); the president of the European Commission is nominated by the European Council and formally 'elected' by the European Parliament; the Commission president allocates specific responsibilities among the members of the College (appointed by common accord of the member state governments in consultation with the president-elect); the European Parliament confirms the entire Commission for a 5-year term.

Legislative branch
Description: two legislative bodies consisting of the Council of the European Union (27 seats; ministers representing the 27 member states) and the European Parliament (705 seats; seats allocated among member states roughly in proportion to population size; members elected by proportional representation to serve 5-year terms); note - the European Parliament President, David SASSOLI (Italian center-left), was elected in July 2019 by a majority of fellow members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and represents the Parliament within the EU and internationally; the Council of the EU and the MEPs share responsibilities for adopting the bulk of EU legislation, normally acting in co-decision on Commission proposals (but not in the area of Common Foreign and Security Policy, which is governed by consensus of the EU member state governments)
Elections: last held on 23-26 May 2019 (next to be held May 2024)
Election results: percent of vote - NA; seats by party (as of 31 January 2020) - EPP 187, S&D 148, ALDE/EDP 97, ID 76, Greens/EFA 67, ECR 59, GUE-NGL 40, non-inscripts 31; composition - NA

Judicial branch
Highest courts: Court of Justice of the European Union, which includes the Court of Justice (informally known as the European Court of Justice or ECJ) and the General Court (consists of 27 judges, one drawn from each member state; the ECJ includes 11 Advocates General while the General Court can include additional judges; both the ECJ and the General Court may sit in a 'Grand Chamber' of 15 judges in special cases but usually in chambers of 3 to 5 judges
Judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the common consent of the member states to serve 6-year renewable terms
Note: the ECJ is the supreme judicial authority of the EU; it ensures that EU law is interpreted and applied uniformly throughout the EU, resolves disputed issues among the EU institutions and with member states, and reviews issues and opinions regarding questions of EU law referred by member state courts

Political parties and leaders: European United Left-Nordic Green Left or GUE/NGL [Manon AUBRY and Martin SCHIRDEWAN]
European Conservatives and Reformists or ECR [Raffaele FITTO and Ryszard LEGUTKO]
European Greens/European Free Alliance or Greens/EFA [Ska KELLER, Philippe LAMBERTS]
European People's Party or EPP [Manfred WEBER]
Identity and Democracy Party or ID [Marco ZANNI]
Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats or S&D [Iratxe PEREZ]
Renew Europe - RE (successor to Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe or ALDE) [Stephane SEJOURNE]

International organization participation: ARF, ASEAN (dialogue member), Australian Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CBSS, CERN, EBRD, FAO, FATF, G-8, G-10, G-20, IDA, IEA, IGAD (partners), LAIA (observer), NSG (observer), OAS (observer), OECD, PIF (partner), SAARC (observer), SICA (observer), UN (observer), UNRWA (observer), WCO, WTO, ZC (observer)

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Stavros LAMBRINIDIS (since 1 March 2019) 
In the us chancery: 2,175 K Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20,037
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 862-9,500
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 429-1766
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (Vacant); Charge D' Affaires Kelly Adams-Smith (since 1 July 2021)
From the us embassy: Zinnerstraat - 13 - Rue Zinner, B-1000 Brussels
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [32] (2) 811-4,100
From the us email address and website: [link]

Flag description: a blue field with 12 five-pointed gold stars arranged in a circle in the center; blue represents the sky of the Western world, the stars are the peoples of Europe in a circle, a symbol of unity; the number of stars is fixed

National symbols: a circle of 12, five-pointed, golden yellow stars on a blue field; union colors: blue, yellow

National anthem
Name: Ode to Joy
Lyrics and music: no lyrics/Ludwig VAN BEETHOVEN, arranged by Herbert VON KARAJAN
Note: official EU anthem since 1985; the anthem is meant to represent all of Europe rather than just the organization, conveying ideas of peace, freedom, and unity

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $19,885,625,000,000 (2019 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 2.3% (2017 est.)

2% (2016 est.)

2.3% (2015 est.)

Real gdp per capita: $44,436 (2019 est.)
Note: data are in 2017 dollars

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 54.4% (2016 est.)
Government consumption: 20.4% (2016 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 19.8% (2016 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.4% (2016 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 43.9% (2016 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -40.5% (2016 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 1.6% (2017 est.)
Industry: 25.1% (2017 est.)
Services: 70.9% (2017 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat, barley, oilseeds, sugar beets, wine, grapes; dairy products, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry; fish

Industries: among the world's largest and most technologically advanced regions, the EU industrial base includes: ferrous and non-ferrous metal production and processing, metal products, petroleum, coal, cement, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, rail transportation equipment, passenger and commercial vehicles, construction equipment, industrial equipment, shipbuilding, electrical power equipment, machine tools and automated manufacturing systems, electronics and telecommunications equipment, fishing, food and beverages, furniture, paper, textiles

Industrial production growth rate: 3.5% (2017 est.)

Labor force: 238.9 million (2016 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 5%
By occupation industry: 21.9%
By occupation services: 73.1% (2014 est.)

Unemployment rate: 8.6% (2016 est.)

9.4% (2015 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15-24 total: 18.7%
Rate ages 15-24 male: 18.5%
Rate ages 15-24 female: 19.2% (2020 est.)

Population below poverty line: 9.8% (2013 est.)
Note: see individual country entries of member states

Gini index
Coefficient distribution of family income: 30.8 (2016 est.)

31 (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.8%
Highest 10: 23.8% (2016 est.)

Budget
Surplus or deficit: $-3% (of GDP) (2014)

Taxes and other revenues: 45.2% (of GDP) (2014)

Public debt: 86.8% of GDP (2014)

85.5% of GDP (2013)

Revenue
From forest resources forest revenues: 0.05% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal coal revenues: 0.02% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year: NA

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.1% (2019 est.)

1.7% (2018 est.)

1.5% (2017 est.)

Current account balance: $404.9 billion (2017 est.)

$359.7 billion (2016 est.)

Exports: $7,102,345,000,000 (2019 est.)
Note: external exports, excluding intra-EU trade
Partners: United States 20.7%, China 9.6%, Switzerland 8.1%, Turkey 4.4%, Russia 4.1% (2016 est.)
Commodities: machinery, motor vehicles, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, fuels, aircraft, plastics, iron and steel, wood pulp and paper products, alcoholic beverages, furniture

Imports: $6,649,513,000,000 (2019 est.)
Note: external imports, excluding intra-EU trade
Partners: China 20.1%, United States 14.5%, Switzerland 7.1%, Russia 6.3% (2016 est.)
Commodities: fuels and crude oil, machinery, vehicles, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, precious gemstones, textiles, aircraft, plastics, metals, ships

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $740.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Note: data are for the European Central Bank

Debt external: $29.27 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

$28.68 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

Exchange rates:

Electricity
Production: 3.043 trillion kWh (2015 est.)
Consumption: 2.845 trillion kWh (2015 est.)
Exports: $390 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Imports: 397 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Installed generating capacity: 975 million kW (2015 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 44% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources nuclear: 12% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 11% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources: 44% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 1.488 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves: 5.1 billion bbl (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum
Products production: 11.66 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption: 12.89 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports: 2.196 million bbl/day (2017 est.)
Products imports: 8.613 million bbl/day (2017 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 118.2 billion m³ (2016 est.)
Consumption: 428.8 billion m³ (2016 est.)
Exports: $93.75 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Imports: 420.6 billion m³ (2010 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.3 trillion m³ (1 January 2017 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 165,475,641
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 36.78 (2019 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 529,497,242
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 117.70 (2019 est.)

Internet
Country code: .eu; note - see country entries of member states for individual country codes
Users total: 398.1 million (2018 est.)
Users percent of population: 85%

Military expenditures: 1.6% of GDP (2020 est.)

1.4% of GDP (2019)

1.4% of GDP (2018)

1.35% of GDP (2017)

1.3% of GDP (2016)

Military and security forces: the EU's Common Security and Defense Policy (CSDP) provides the civilian, military, and political structures for EU crisis management and security issues; the highest bodies are:

Terrorist groups: see individual EU member states

National air transport system
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 636,860,155 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 31,730,660,000 (2018)

Airports
With paved runways total: 1,882
With paved runways over 3047 m: 120
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 341
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 507
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 425
With paved runways under 914 m: 489 (2017)
With unpaved runways total: 1,244
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 15
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 245
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 982 (2013)

Heliports: 90 (2013)

Railways
Total: 230,548 km (2013)

Roadways
Total: 10,582,653 km (2013)

Waterways: 53,384 km (2013)

Ports and terminals
Majorport(s): Antwerp (Belgium), Barcelona (Spain), Braila (Romania), Bremen (Germany), Burgas (Bulgaria), Constanta (Romania), Copenhagen (Denmark), Galati (Romania), Gdansk (Poland), Hamburg (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Las Palmas (Canary Islands, Spain), Le Havre (France), Lisbon (Portugal), Marseille (France), Naples (Italy), Peiraiefs or Piraeus (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Split (Croatia), Stockholm (Sweden), Talinn (Estonia), Tulcea (Romania), Varna (Bulgaria)

Disputes international: as a political union, the EU has no border disputes with neighboring countries, but Estonia has no land boundary agreements with Russia, Slovenia disputes its land and maritime boundaries with Croatia, and Spain has territorial and maritime disputes with Morocco and with the UK over Gibraltar; the EU has set up a Schengen area - consisting of 22 EU member states that have signed the convention implementing the Schengen agreements or 'acquis' (1985 and 1990) on the free movement of persons and the harmonization of border controls in Europe; these agreements became incorporated into EU law with the implementation of the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam on 1 May 1999; in addition, non-EU states Iceland and Norway (as part of the Nordic Union) have been included in the Schengen area since 1996 (full members in 2001), Switzerland since 2008, and Liechtenstein since 2011 bringing the total current membership to 26; the UK (since 2000) and Ireland (since 2002) take part in only some aspects of the Schengen area, especially with respect to police and criminal matters; nine of the 13 new member states that joined the EU since 2004 joined Schengen on 21 December 2007; of the four remaining EU states, Romania, Bulgaria, and Croatia are obligated to eventually join, while Cyprus' entry is held up by the ongoing Cyprus dispute