European Union

American  

[yoor-uh-pee-uhn yoon-yuhn, yur‐] / ˈjʊər əˌpi ən ˈjun jən, ˈjɜr‐ /

noun

1. an association of European nations formed in 1993 for the purpose of achieving political and economic integration. Incorporating the European Community, the European Union's member states are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In 2016 the United Kingdom voted by referendum to withdraw from membership in the European Union.

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European Union British  

noun

1.  EU.  an organization created in 1993 with the aim of achieving closer economic and political union between member states of the European Community. The current members are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the UK

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European Union Cultural  

1. A political union, often called the EU, to which the member states of the EEC are evolving. Based on the Maastricht Treaty, it envisions the eventual establishment of common economic, foreign, security, and justice policies. The extent to which this goal will be achieved is still in doubt and occasions deep divisions in some member states, especially Great Britain. The members of the EU are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. Several nations, including the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Turkey, are seeking membership.

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Example Sentences

One significant regulatory hurdle to any EasyJet takeover is that European Union regulations stipulate the carrier must be majority-owned by EU citizens.

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026

Under Castlelake's proposal, 51 percent of the carrier would be owned by European Union nationals including two airline industry veterans, Peter Bellew and Mark Breen.

From Barron's • Jul. 10, 2026

EU lawmakers on Thursday backed kickstarting negotiations on creating a digital version of the euro, as the European Union races to introduce the currency.

From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026

Storage across the European Union is currently 50% full, well below the five-year average of 66%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026

It is funded by the European Union, and we hope to try to reforest the hills and mountains along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, helping the people to live in better harmony with nature.

From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall