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 449 million. The EU has often been described as a sui generis political entity 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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The Maserati MC12 is a grand tourer produced by Maserati to allow a racing variant to compete in the FIA GT Championship. The car entered production in 2004 with 25 cars produced. A further 25 were produced in 2005 making a total of 50 cars available for customers, all of which were pre-sold for €600 000. Maserati designed and built the car on the chassis of the Enzo Ferrari but the final car is much larger. The MC12 is longer, wider and taller than the Enzo Ferrari, however the Enzo has faster acceleration and a higher top speed.

The MC12 was developed to signal Maserati's return to racing after 37 years. The road version was produced to homologate the race version. One of the requirements for participation in the FIA GT is the production of at least 25 road cars. Three GT1 race cars were entered into the FIA GT with great success. Maserati began racing the MC12 in the FIA GT toward the end of the 2004 season, achieving a victory at the Zhuhai International Circuit.

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Belém Tower

Photo: Joaquim Alves Gaspar

Belém Tower is a fortified tower located in the Belém district of Lisbon, Portugal. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (along with the nearby Jerónimos Monastery) because of the significant role it played in the Portuguese maritime exploits of the era of the Age of Discovery. The tower was built in the early 16th century and is composed of a bastion and the 30 m (98 ft) tall tower. It is dedicated to the patron saint of Lisbon, St Vincent, and commemorates the expedition of Vasco de Gama.

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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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Paris is the capital city of France. Situated on the banks of the river Seine in north-central France, it is also the capital of the Île-de-France région, which encompasses Paris and its suburbs. The City of Paris had an estimated mid-2004 population of 2,144,700. The Paris urban area, extending well beyond the city boundaries, has today an estimated population of 9.9 million. The Paris metropolitan area (including satellite towns) stood at 11.5 million in 1999.

It produces more than a quarter of France's wealth, with a GDP of €478.7 billion in 2005. With La Défense, one of the largest business districts in Europe, Paris also hosts the head offices of almost half of the major French companies. Paris is a leading global cultural, business and political centre and has a major international influence in fashion, gastronomy and the arts. It is widely regarded as one of the world's major global cities, with notably the headquarters of many international organisations such as UNESCO, the OECD, the ICC.

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General images

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

Image 1Logo of the European Parliament (from Symbols of the European Union)

Percentage responding that their country on balance benefited from being a member of the EU at Eurobarometer 2023:

91–100%

81–90%

71–80%

61–70%

51–60%

(from Politics of the European Union)

Image 3Organigram 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 4José Manuel Barroso President of the European Commission (2004-2014) (from History of the European Union)
Image 5Newest state in yellow (from History of the European Union)
Image 6A 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 7Logo of the European Central Bank (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 8The flag of Europe, emblem of both the Council of Europe and the European Union. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 9The Euro symbol shown as a sculpture outside the European Central Bank (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 10The European Coal and Steel Community's flag. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 11After 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 12Europa regina in Sebastian Münster's "Cosmographia", 1570 (from History of the European Union)
Image 13Winston Churchill (right, during the Atlantic Conference), consistent advocate of continential European integration, later along with his son-in-law Duncan Sandys (from History of the European Union)
Image 141922 European flag of the Paneuropean Union (from History of the European Union)
Image 15Donald Trump President of the United States (from History of the European Union)
Image 16Boris Johnson Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022 (from History of the European Union)
Image 17The fertility rate in the EU was 1.46 in 2022 (Kindergarten in France). (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 18Population pyramid of the EU 27 in 2023 (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 19Political groups of the European Parliament in the Louise Weiss building after the election 2024:
  Group of the European People's Party (EPP)
  Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D)
  Patriots for Europe (PfE)
  European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR)
  Renew Europe (Renew)
  The Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA)
  The Left in the European Parliament – GUE/NGL (The Left)
  Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN)
  Non-Inscrits (NI)
  Vacant (1)
(from Politics of the European Union)
Image 20The population density of the EU is 106 people per km². Note that the lights in the North Sea are from oil platforms. (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 21Logo of the European Council and the Council of the European Union (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 22Ursula von der Leyen President of the European Commission
(since 1 December 2019) (from History of the European Union)
Image 23Elaboration by sex (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 24Aristide Briand (from History of the European Union)
Image 25Mario Draghi (from History of the European Union)
Image 26The Schuman Parade in Warsaw has been organised by the Schuman Foundation since 1999 (2008 photograph). (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 27Logo of the European Court of Auditors (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 28A piece from the original manuscript. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 29Signatories of the 2007 declaration in dark blue. (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 30Life expectancy and healthy life expectancy in the European Union in 2019 (from Demographics of the European Union)
Image 31The ordinary legislative procedure of the European Union (from Politics 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 33Logo of the Court of Justice of the European Union (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 34Meeting in the Hall of Knights in The Hague, during the Congress of Europe (9 May 1948) (from History of the European Union)
Image 35Kaja Kallas, High Representative Vice President (from Politics of the European Union)
Image 36Flag of the Western Union (from History of the European Union)
Image 37Logo of the European Commission (from Symbols of the European Union)
Image 38The Frankish Empire at its greatest extent, ca. 814 AD (from History of the European Union)
Image 39Coins and banknotes of the Euro, the single-currency introduced from 1999 (from History of the European Union)