European Union Overview
Evolution and Current Situation
The European Union (EU) — previously known as the European Community — is an institutional framework for the construction of a united Europe. It was created after World War II to unite the nations of Europe economically so another war among them would be unthinkable. Fifteen countries are members of the European Union, and some 370 million people share the common institutions and policies that have brought an unprecedented era of peace and prosperity to Western Europe. Common Policies The first steps toward European integration began when the founding members pooled their coal and steel industries. They then set about…
