The common principles and values that underlie life in the EU: freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law, promoting peace and stability.

Find out how many EU Member States there are, how big the EU economy is, how people live in the EU, and other useful facts about the EU.

Find out more about EU countries, their government and economy, their role in the EU, use of the euro, membership of the Schengen area or location on the map.

Enlargement happens when new countries join the European Union. This has taken place several times in the EU’s history, each time transforming both the EU and the countries that join.

The major events in the history of the EU, how the EU has developed over the decades, the men and women who have played a key role in the EU.