My Science School

Luxembourg is one of the founding members of the European Union. The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy (Grand Duchy).The prime minister leads the government, and the Grand Duke, who has only nominal rights, heads the state.

Luxembourg has an interesting history of playing a positive role as a member in the integration process while firmly retaining its own national identity. Despite its meagre political and economic resources, the Luxembourg presidency has lived up to the expectations of the EU.

The country has held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union ten times and the Presidency of the European Council seven times.

The City of Luxembourg is the seat of the Court of Justice and the Court of First Instance, the Court of Auditors, and the European Investment Bank. The Secretariat of the European Parliament and its departments and several Commission departments are officially seated in Luxembourg. It also stages Council meetings during April, June, and October. There are 6 members of the European Parliament from Luxembourg.

Picture Credit : Google

Latvia is a Northern European country, and among the Baltic States bordered by Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, and Belarus to the southeast. Its capital is Riga, and the official language is Latvian. The political system of Latvia is a parliamentary republic, and its currency is euro since it became a member of the Eurozone on January 1, 2014.

Latvia was one of the countries that was sceptical about joining the European Union. In 1999, Latvia was invited to begin negotiations to join the EU. Later, in December 2002, the country was formally invited again to be part of the 2002 summit held in Copenhagen. This prompted the Latvian government to hold a referendum on September 20, 2003, on joining the EU. It must be noted that the polls held in the years before the referendum had shown a greater inclination in support of the EU membership.

In the 2003 referendum, over two-thirds of voters across 30 of the 34 electoral districts voted in support. The state joined the EU on May 1, 2004, and is the last among the states that held a referendum to confirm its decision on joining the EU.

Latvians comprise 0.4 per cent of the total EU population. Latvia holds 8 seats in the European Parliament and held the revolving presidency of the Council of the EU for the first time in 2015. Latvia has been a member country of the Schengen Area since December 21, 2007.

Picture Credit : Google

Italy is a southern European country consisting of a peninsula that extends well into the Mediterranean Sea.

Italy’s official language is Italian, which is also one of the official languages of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and one the working languages of the Council of Europe. It is the second most widely spoken native language in the European Union, and it is used as a second language by 13.4 million EU citizens.

Italy is a unitary parliamentary republic with Rome as its capital and largest city. The Parliament is composed of 2 houses: The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Republic. The country is sub-divided into 20 regions, of which 5 enjoy a special autonomous status.

Italy is one among the founding member states of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which subsequently became the Economic Community (EEC) and the EU.

The country has 73 members in the European Parliament.

Italy was initially one among the most enthusiastic of EU members, which held solid pro-EU sentiments. However, the alarming 2008 financial crisis that shook Europe led many Europeans to lose faith in the EU’s ability to revive the economy.

Although many member states subsequently recovered the lost trust, most Italians still remained sceptical about a revival. Brexit only added to the Euroscepticism in the country, and today, Italy is probably the only EU country where most citizens hold anti-EU sentiments.

Picture Credit : Google

Ireland is a country in north-western Europe. The sovereign state shares its only land border with Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom. The capital and largest city is Dublin, which is located on the eastern side of the island.

Ireland is a parliamentary republic. The head of government is the prime minister, and the head of the state is the president. The prime minister, who exercises executive powers, is appointed by the president after nomination by the Lower House of Parliament. The Parliament has 2 chambers, the Upper and Lower House.

Ireland, along with the United Kingdom and Denmark, joined the European Communities in 1973, which dissolved to form the EU. The membership was primarily defined by the bilateral relationship that existed between Britain and Ireland. The opportunities offered by the membership have been mainly directed and utilized towards the growth of the nation, especially its agricultural sector.

Ireland uses the currency euro and has been a Euro area member since 1 January 1999. The European Parliament has 13 Irish representatives in it.

Picture Credit : Google

Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Budapest, its capital, is on the banks of the Danube River. Hungary is a parliamentary republic divided into 19 counties, Budapest, and 23 other cities with county-level authority. The official currency is the Hungarian Forint. However, the euro is also accepted in several places.

The land has gone through prolonged periods of hardships and sufferings.

After the Second World War, Hungary remained a socialist country under the Soviet Union. The socialist rule came to an end in 1989 by a peaceful transition to a democratic system, and communism was ended forever. The Soviet Union dissolved into Russia and other constituent countries, and by 1991, diplomatic relations between Hungary and Russia were restored. The Hungarian economy is relatively open and relies strongly on international trade, and the country wields considerable influence in Central and Eastern Europe.

European integration has been one of the major focuses of its foreign policies. Hungary was one of the leading and most suitable candidates from the former Soviet bloc to join the EU after the transition in 1989-1990. Hungary became a member of the EU in 2004. It held the presidency of the Council of the EU for half a year in 2011. The next will be in 2024. Hungary has 21 members in the European Parliament and has been part of the Schengen Area since 2007.

Even though the country has plans to adopt the single currency, the euro, chances of it happening soon are pretty dim. Recent times have shown a strained relationship between the country and the EU because of a few controversial laws passed by Hungary.

Picture Credit : Google

Greece is a country in south Eastern Europe. Its capital city is Athens, and the country is often called the cradle of Western civilization. It is a parliamentary republic, and transactions are done in the euro. The head of the government is the prime minister, and the head of state is the president.

The nation enjoys a prominent geopolitical role as a middle power due to its political and geographical proximity to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. It has strong ties with the United States, France, Italy, Bulgaria, the other NATO countries, Cyprus, and the rest of the European Union.

Greece’s financial situation was sound when it entered the EU in the early 1980s. Inspired by its economic development, Greece submitted its application to the European Economic Community in 1975. Accession negotiations began officially in1976, and the Treaty of Accession was signed in 1979.

Greece has been a member country of the EU since January 1, 1981. But years later, the country plunged into a severe debt crisis that almost threatened the very existence of the European Union.

As a member of the EU, Greece plays a crucial role in the eastern Mediterranean region and has encouraged collaboration between neighbours. There are 21 members of the European Parliament from Greece and it has been a member of the euro area since January 1, 2001.

Picture Credit : Google

France is one of the founding members of European integration. The French comprise 13.1 per cent of the total EU population, and the capital of the country is Paris. The official language is French, and the currency is the euro.

France is a semi-presidential republic, and its territory consists of 18 administrative regions. One of the three official seats of the European institutions is in France, in the city of Strasbourg.

The French community boasts of a long history of being a vital contributor towards European integration, beginning with its ties with the ECSC in 1951, which later dissolved into the EC and then the EU.

France regards the EU as a vehicle to promote democracy, human rights, and equality. The country has helped in creating a more integrated European foreign, defence, and security policy. France is also one among the very few countries in the EU that have boldly advocated the need to extend and exercise the EU’s powers on a global platform, that is, on non- EU nations.

However, France’s relationship with the European Union is also characterized by many ups and downs. It has often been criticized for opposing some of the EU’s integration efforts. During the 2005 referendum for example, France even voted against framing a European constitution. Also, the country’s defence policies are often at variance with those of the EU. Despite all this, France plays a significant role in the EU and has the power to change or set the direction of any European project.

France holds 74 seats in the European Parliament and has borne the presidency of the Council 13 times between 1959 and 2008. France has been a member country of the Schengen Area since March 26, 1995.

Picture Credit : Google

Germany is the second-most populous country in the continent after Russia and the most populous member state of the European Union. It is a central European country situated between the Baltic and North seas to the north and the Alps to the south. Germany has the most number of neighbours in Europe, sharing its border with nine countries; and eight of them are members of the EU. Like most other EU members, it trades in the euro currency.

Germany sees European integration as the foundation for peace, security, and prosperity. One among the founding member states of the European Union, it has always been a pillar of strength to the EU in its most trying times.

For example, in January 2020, when Great Britain marked its exit from the EU, Germany came forward with its fiscal, monetary and political support to pacify the other member states. The nation also provides extensive support and guidance to countries like Serbia and other Western Balkan countries, in their efforts towards EU accession.

Germany is also the leading trade partner for 17 EU countries and has been a euro area member since 1 January 1999. There are 96 members in the European Parliament representing Germany.

Picture Credit : Google

Finland is a Northern European nation, divided into 19 regions and 70 sub-regions, bordering Sweden, Norway, and Russia. It is a Unitary Parliamentary Republic where the Prime minister heads the government, and the president heads the state. The central government is seated in Helsinki, the country’s capital city and the local governments are based in its 311 municipalities.

Finland joined the European Union in early 1995, along with Austria and Sweden. The country was known for the strict policy of neutrality it had maintained until the early 1990s. Therefore, its EU membership was perceived as a sudden change of political inclination. But that was not the case. The decision to follow Sweden and apply for EU membership was based on an overwhelming political consensus.

Finland has remarkably adapted itself to the EU’s policies and has become a strong endorser of the EU’s unity and policies. Since the first years of its membership, the country has propelled many vital decisions taken by the EU.

Picture Credit : Google

Estonia is a Northern European country bordering the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland. Its capital is Tallinn, and the official language is Estonian. 

The political system is a parliamentary republic where the Head of the Government is the prime minister, and the president serves as the Head of the State. The country is divided into 15 counties and 79 municipalities.

Estonia had been under the Soviet Union regime for a long time and the country regained its independence after great tribulations. Therefore, the new talks of joining another Union, the EU, were initially seen with fear and doubt. However, after considerable internal debate, the integration into the EU was accepted by many Estonians as they felt it would help redefine freedom and boost the country’s economy. It became a member country of the EU on May 1, 2004, and its currency has been the euro since 2011.

Estonia has significantly contributed to the EU’s structures. Estonia also held the presidency of the EU for six months in 2017. Six members of the Parliament are Estonians, which indicates its active involvement in EU affairs. Intra-EU trade accounts for 68 per cent of Estonia’s exports and 77 per cent of its imports come from the EU Member States.

However, Euroscepticism in Estonia has recently once again raised it head, and has led to the growing popularity of the Conservative People’s Party of Estonia.

Picture Credit : Google

Denmark, officially the Kingdom of Denmark, is a Nordic Country in Northern Europe and the southernmost of the Scandinavian countries. It consists of a peninsula, Jutland, and an archipelago of 443 named islands, with the largest being Zealand, Funen, and the North Jutlandic Island. Its capital is Copenhagen, and the official language is Danish.

Denmark was economically linked to the U.K. in many ways. Hence, when the British formally applied to join the European Communities (the predecessor of the European Union), Denmark too considered it necessary to enter. On 10 August 1961, a day after the British applied, it submitted its application too.

However, the then president of France, Charles de Gaulle, turned down the application for British membership. This prompted Denmark to back out as it did not wish to join the EC without the United Kingdom.

After much negotiation and following a change in the French presidency, Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom eventually joined the European Communities on 1 January 1973.

Denmark does not use the euro. It has negotiated an opt-out from participation under the Edinburgh Agreement in 1992 and uses the krone as its currency. In 2000, the government held a referendum on introducing the euro, which 53.2 per cent voted against.

There are 12 members of the European Parliament from Denmark.

Picture Credit : Google

The Czech Republic, also known, as Czechia, is a land-locked country in Central Europe bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the east. It is a Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Republic, and its capital city is Prague. The country exhibits high development and has an advanced, high-income social market economy. It is a welfare state reputed for its top-notch universal health care and free university education.

Czechia was formerly part of Czechoslovakia, which was under the totalitarian regime of the communist party for 40 years. The collapse of communism in late 1989 relieved the country of all ties with the party and gave much room to rebuild and shape its social and economic structures. In 1993, Czechoslovakia was split into the independent states called the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic is now divided into 14 regions.

The Czech Republic became a member state of the European Union on 1 May 2004. It held the role of EU presidency for six months in 2009. Intra-EU trade accounts for 84 per cent of the Czech Republic’s exports, and in terms of imports, 76 per cent come from the EU Member States.

Although the current currency used is Czech koruna (CZK), the state is undergoing measures to adopt the euro. Czechia has been a Schengen Area member since 21 December 2007.

It has 21 representative members in the European Parliament and is represented by 12 members in the European Economic and Social Committee and the European Committee of the Regions.

Picture Credit : Google

Cyprus, officially called the Republic of Cyprus, is located south of Turkey. It is a presidential republic where the president is both heads of state and the government. Nicosia is the country’s capital and largest city. Cyprus has two official languages, Greek and Turkish, of which Greek is officially accepted as the EU language.

Cyprus was placed under the U.K.’s administration after the 1878 Cyprus Convention and was later annexed by the U.K. in 1914.

Cyprus is a divided island. The northern portion, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is under Turkish control. It is a de facto state that has been recognised only by Turkey. The southern portion is an independent republic called the Republic of Cyprus. Except for Turkey, all other states consider TRNC as part of the Republic of Cyprus. This division in outlook has led to what is known as the Cyprus conflict.

Cyprus joined the European Union on 1 May 2004. Despite joining the EU as a de facto divided island, the whole of Cyprus is taken as a single EU territory and Turkish Cypriots are accepted as European Union citizens.

Cyprus holds 6 seats in the European Parliament. It also had the presidency of the Council of the EU once in 2012. Cyprus is not a member country of the Schengen Area.

Picture Credit : Google