The European Union emerged from the devastation of the Second World War.

1. Countries were determined that such a terrible conflict would never happen again. They thought that an economic union would prevent countries fighting. There hasn't been a war within the EU since 1945 and former enemies, such as France and Germany, are now close allies
   
   
2. The European Union is the framework for economic and political co-operation between 27 European countries.
   
   
3. Started in 1957 as the European Economic Community and UK joined in 1973.
4. The European Community was renamed as the European Union by the Maastricht Treaty (1993).
   
   
5. Each country has to pay money to be a member, mostly through taxes.
   
   
6. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are elected from each EU country.
   
   
7. Sixteen countries out of the twenty-seven members of the EU use the Euro. The countries that still use their own money are the United Kingdom, Sweden and Denmark.
   
   

1. To promote economic and social progress
2. To speak for the European Union on the international scene
3. To introduce European citizenship
4. To develop an area of freedom, security and justice
5. To maintain and build on established EU law