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

See Examples For:

European Union

The European Union, which the Balkan nation aspires to join, voiced concern over what it called the "violent escalation at the protest in Tirana".

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

"They have to be able to control... these systems," she said, noting that the European Union has sent information requests to all major AI companies asking what safety and security measures they have in place.

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

The European Union and China reached an agreement on Friday that could halve China’s hybrid exports to Europe relative to the current trend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

Then there was the then Prime Minister David Cameron's negotiation with the European Union to try to secure what he saw as a better deal and then the referendum itself on Thursday, 23 June 2016.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

In Europe alone, the fall of the wall opened the way for the formation of the European Union and its expansion from fifteen to twenty-five countries.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman