The EU/European Union describes a economical and political union of 28 States. With an estimated population of around 510 million the European Union policies aim to allow the free movement of people, goods and services. Within the internal market it aims to maintain common policies on agriculture, trade and more.
Members
The EU and European citizenship were established in 1933. With the inner original 6 being Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. Although no member state has ever left, in 2016 the UK announced its intention to leave and has begun negotiating their departure for 2019.
More foreign aid is provided by the EU than any other economic union. Due to its Global influence and reach the Union has been described as an emerging superpower.
The European Union has taken a leading role in advancing sustainable and inclusive science, technology, and innovation (STI) at the G20 Research, Science and Innovation Ministerial Meeting, held on 23 September 2025 in Tshwane, South Africa.
The European Innovation Council (EIC) Board calls on EU Member States and regions to better align their innovation funding efforts with the EIC's programmes to support the growth of deep tech start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Renewing their commitment to tackle climate change, EUMETSAT and the Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA) have reaffirmed their long-standing cooperation to better the European Union’s climate strategies.
The European Commission has awarded the prestigious EU Mission Label to 39 additional cities as part of the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities.
The European Commission has announced an investment of €910 million under the 2024 edition of the European Defence Fund (EDF), aimed at strengthening the continent's defence capabilities through innovation, cooperation, and advanced technology development.
The European Commission has introduced a consultation process to shape the direction of digital research, development, and deployment in the EU past 2027.
On 29 April 2025, over 200 European territories will officially kick off the EU Preparatory Action "Innovation for Place-Based Transformation" with a high-level launch event streamed online.
UK scientists, researchers, and businesses will now benefit from expanded access to Horizon Europe funding calls, specifically for quantum and space research, following the release of the 2025 Horizon Europe Work Programme.
The European Commission has taken another step toward finalising its flagship research and innovation funding initiative, Horizon Europe, by pre-publishing the draft version of its 2025 work programme.
In 2024, the European Commission reported that wind power became the European Union's second-largest source of electricity, overtaking natural gas and coming in just behind nuclear.
The European Commission has revealed a new wide-ranging public consultation on the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and its Market Stability Reserve (MSR). It hopes to get feedback before planned reviews in 2026.
The European Union has made significant strides in research and innovation over the past decade, which was highlighted in the newly published 2024 European Research Area (ERA) Scoreboard and Dashboard.
