{"id":8379,"date":"2022-07-26T13:00:09","date_gmt":"2022-07-26T18:00:09","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2025-04-23T23:55:45","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T03:55:45","slug":"how-exactly-do-countries-join-the-eu","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2022\/07\/26\/how-exactly-do-countries-join-the-eu\/","title":{"rendered":"How exactly do countries join the EU?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-640-wide\"><img decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_feature.jpg?w=640\" alt=\"A woman holds Ukrainian and EU flags during the opening ceremony of Free Ukraine Square, next to the Russian embassy in Krakow, Poland, on July 12, 2022.\" class=\"wp-image-413132\" \/><figcaption>A woman holds Ukrainian and EU flags during the opening ceremony of Free Ukraine Square, next to the Russian embassy in Krakow, Poland, on July 12, 2022. (Beata Zawrzel\/NurPhoto via Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ukraine and Moldova are officially on the path to membership in the European Union. The EU <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/european-union-to-grant-ukraine-candidate-status-war-russia\/\">approved their applications<\/a> in record time amid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2022\/world\/europe\/ukraine-maps.html\">Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine<\/a> and concerns that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.eu\/article\/putin-war-russia-ukraine-moldova-transnistria-border-separatists\/\">Moldova might be targeted next<\/a>. But joining the EU is a complicated process that can take years, and there\u2019s no guarantee either country will ultimately win a seat at Europe\u2019s biggest table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With a possible expansion of the EU, here are answers to some common questions about the bloc, how countries can join it, how long each step typically takes and more.<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"border-width:1px;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);--block-gap: inherit\" class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible has-background has-ui-beige-very-light-background-color has-border-color has-ui-beige-dark-border-color\" id=\"how-we-did-this\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/collapsible&quot;}\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;collapsibleId&quot;:&quot;how-we-did-this&quot;,&quot;isOpen&quot;:false}\" data-wp-class--is-open=\"context.isOpen\" data-wp-init--scroll-into-view=\"callbacks.onInitScrollIntoView\"><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__title\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.onClick\"><div>How we did this<\/div><button class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__icon\"><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"context.isOpen\"><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-plus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!context.isOpen\" hidden><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-minus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__content\">\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This Pew Research Center analysis looks at the steps and typical timeline of joining the European Union, based on the accession processes of the EU\u2019s 21 current member countries that underwent the accession process (the other six EU countries \u2013 Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg \u2013 were original founding members that did not follow this process to join). It relied on news articles and EU archives, as well as primary source documents from <a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/homepage.html\">EUR-Lex<\/a>, the University of Luxembourg\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cvce.eu\/en\">Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l&#8217;Europe<\/a> (CVCE) and the University of Pittsburgh&#8217;s <a href=\"http:\/\/aei.pitt.edu\/\">Archive of European Integration<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The total length of the accession process for each country was calculated using the exact dates of application submission and official accession. All other calculations are based on the first day of the month of the first event to the first day of the month of the second event, except to calculate the time from application to candidacy for Ukraine and Moldova. If a country submitted multiple applications, the date of the first application submitted is used. The date of the Commission\u2019s opinion is not necessarily the first opinion issued if an initial application was vetoed or the accession process was paused; instead, the date of the opinion for the eventual successful application is used. An applicant is awarded candidate status by unanimous approval by the European Council. In this analysis, candidacy dates were determined based on documents from EU Council summits. The date an accession treaty was signed differs from the date negotiations close, and from the date the treaty is ratified in the country\u2019s national legislature.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-the-eu-and-how-is-it-set-up\"><strong>What is the EU, and how is it set up?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The European Union is an international economic and political alliance of <a href=\"https:\/\/european-union.europa.eu\/principles-countries-history\/country-profiles_en\">27 member countries<\/a>, 19 of which <a href=\"https:\/\/european-union.europa.eu\/institutions-law-budget\/euro\/countries-using-euro_en\">use the euro<\/a> as their official currency. Its roots date back to 1952, when six countries founded the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/European-Coal-and-Steel-Community\">European Coal and Steel Community<\/a> (ECSC) to boost economic growth and ease post-World War II tensions. By the mid-1960s, the ECSC merged with two other organizations and was renamed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cvce.eu\/en\/collections\/unit-content\/-\/unit\/d5906df5-4f83-4603-85f7-0cabc24b9fe1\/7550d654-18b4-4e04-86d1-9bd3a8dddf5a\">European Communities<\/a> (EC); it served as the legal predecessor to today\u2019s European Union, which was officially born in 1993.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The European Union has <a href=\"https:\/\/european-union.europa.eu\/institutions-law-budget\/institutions-and-bodies\/types-institutions-and-bodies_en\">seven institutions<\/a>, three of which are directly involved in the process of membership expansion: the European Council, the European Commission and the European Parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/european-union.europa.eu\/institutions-law-budget\/institutions-and-bodies\/institutions-and-bodies-profiles\/european-council_en\">European Council<\/a> is comprised of EU members\u2019 heads of state or government, the Commission president and the Council president. The Council meets at summits to discuss EU legislation and sets the EU\u2019s broader political agenda. It is also responsible for deciding whether to accept or reject EU membership applications.<\/li><li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/european-union.europa.eu\/institutions-law-budget\/institutions-and-bodies\/institutions-and-bodies-profiles\/european-commission_en\">Commission<\/a> has representatives from each member country who propose new laws for the EU and monitor the implementation of existing laws. Commissioners are nominated by the Council and approved by the Parliament. When a country applies to join the EU, the Commission determines if it\u2019s prepared to become a member; it recommends whether the Council should open negotiations, or if certain economic or governance reforms first need to be made. The Commission continues to monitor a country\u2019s progress throughout the process of joining the EU.<\/li><li>Members of the <a href=\"https:\/\/european-union.europa.eu\/institutions-law-budget\/institutions-and-bodies\/institutions-and-bodies-profiles\/european-parliament_en\">Parliament<\/a> are directly elected by citizens of EU countries and represent their home countries\u2019 interests in the bloc. The Parliament works with the <a href=\"https:\/\/european-union.europa.eu\/institutions-law-budget\/institutions-and-bodies\/institutions-and-bodies-profiles\/council-european-union_en\">Council of the EU<\/a> (not to be confused with the separate but similarly named European Council) to adopt and amend legislative proposals from the Commission. It also debates and votes on annual reports tracking countries\u2019 progress in integrating the EU\u2019s rules into their own laws.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n<div style=\"border-width:1px;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);--block-gap: inherit\" class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible has-background has-ui-beige-very-light-background-color has-border-color has-ui-beige-dark-border-color\" id=\"the-development-of-the-european-union\" data-wp-interactive=\"{&quot;namespace&quot;:&quot;prc-block\\\/collapsible&quot;}\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;collapsibleId&quot;:&quot;the-development-of-the-european-union&quot;,&quot;isOpen&quot;:false}\" data-wp-class--is-open=\"context.isOpen\" data-wp-init--scroll-into-view=\"callbacks.onInitScrollIntoView\"><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__title\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.onClick\"><div>The development of the European Union<\/div><button class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__icon\"><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"context.isOpen\"><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-plus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-plus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><span data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!context.isOpen\" hidden><i class=\"icon icon-library__light icon__circle-minus\"><svg style=\"width: 1em; height: 1em;\"><use xlink:href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/plugins\/prc-icon-library\/build\/icons\/sprites\/light.svg#circle-minus\"><\/use><\/svg><\/i><\/span><\/button><\/div><div class=\"wp-block-prc-block-collapsible__content\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Year<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Development<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1951<\/td><td>Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg sign the Treaty of Paris, establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)<br>(Treaty enters into force in 1952)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1957<\/td><td>The six countries sign the two separate Treaties of Rome, creating the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC)<br>(Treaties enter into force in 1958)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1965<\/td><td>Merger Treaty is signed, consolidating the ECSC, EEC, and EAEC into one organization, the European Communities (EC), now comprised of an administrative Commission and executive Council<br>(Treaty enters into force in 1967)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1973<\/td><td>First enlargement: Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1974<\/td><td>European Council created to facilitate discussions among government leaders<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1981<\/td><td>Second Enlargement: Greece joins<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1986<\/td><td>Third Enlargement: Spain and Portugal join<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1992<\/td><td>The Maastricht Treaty is signed, creating the European Union, which acquires the European Communities as its principal institution. The European Council obtains a formal role in crafting political guidelines for the EU&#8217;s development<br>(Treaty enters into force in 1993)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>1995<\/td><td>Fourth Enlargement: Austria, Finland and Sweden join<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2004<\/td><td>Fifth Enlargement: Czechia, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia join<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2007<\/td><td>Bulgaria and Romania join. Also, Treaty of Lisbon is signed, clarifying the powers and procedures of the EU; the European Council officially becomes one of the seven EU institutions<br>(Treaty enters into force in 2009)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2013<\/td><td>Croatia joins<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>2020<\/td><td>UK officially leaves the EU<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption>Sources: European Council, the University of Luxembourg\u2019s Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l&#8217;Europe (CVCE).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h4 id=\"how-do-countries-join-the-eu\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How do countries join the EU?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Any European country that agrees to promote the EU\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.europarl.europa.eu\/factsheets\/en\/sheet\/146\/the-protection-of-fundamental-rights-in-the-eu\">common values<\/a> \u2013 respect for human dignity and human rights, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law \u2013 and meets certain conditions, referred to as the \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/neighbourhood-enlargement\/enlargement-policy\/glossary\/accession-criteria_en\">Copenhagen criteria<\/a>,\u201d is eligible to apply for membership. Countries must have a functioning market economy, stable democratic institutions, and be able to implement EU laws and fulfil membership obligations. (Applicants from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eeas.europa.eu\/eeas\/western-balkans_en\">Western Balkans<\/a>, like Serbia and Albania, must <a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/neighbourhood-enlargement\/enlargement-policy\/glossary\/stabilisation-and-association-process_en#:~:text=The%20Stabilisation%20and%20Association%20Process,establishing%20a%20free%2Dtrade%20area.\">meet additional benchmarks<\/a> to join.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The process of joining the EU, also called accession, has three main steps: candidacy, accession negotiations and treaty ratification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Candidacy status<\/strong> is granted by the unanimous decision of the European Council \u2013 informed by the European Commission\u2019s recommendation \u2013 to formally accept the country\u2019s application. The Council and candidate country then must agree to a framework for accession negotiations. Candidate countries also receive financial and technical assistance throughout the accession process. (The 2021-27 EU budget for <a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/neighbourhood-enlargement\/enlargement-policy\/overview-instrument-pre-accession-assistance_en\">pre-accession assistance<\/a> is 14.162 billion euros.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Accession negotiations <\/strong>commence, as the candidate country adapts its national laws to align with the EU\u2019s rules, called the <em>acquis<\/em>. Negotiations formally conclude once each of the <a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/neighbourhood-enlargement\/enlargement-policy\/conditions-membership\/chapters-acquis_en\">35 acquis chapters<\/a> (which focus on topics like taxation, the environment and defense policy) are unanimously closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>An accession treaty is signed<\/strong> by the candidate country and the European Union (with the consent of the Council, Commission and Parliament) and later ratified by the candidate and each EU country, when it becomes binding. The country is henceforth deemed an \u201cacceding country\u201d until the official accession date, when it becomes a full EU member.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"how-long-does-joining-the-eu-typically-take\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How long does joining the EU typically take?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-11838\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2022\/07\/26\/how-exactly-do-countries-join-the-eu\/ft_22-07-11_eu_2a-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"eff1f1\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #eff1f1;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" height=\"843\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?w=420\" alt=\"A chart showing the typical timeline for EU accession\" class=\"wp-image-11838 not-transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png 840w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=149,300 149w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=768,1541 768w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=510,1024 510w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=765,1536 765w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=202,405 202w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=200,401 200w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=260,522 260w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=310,622 310w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=420,843 420w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=640,1285 640w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=740,1485 740w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_2a.png?resize=160,320 160w\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On average, it\u2019s taken about nine years for each of the 21 current members that underwent the accession process to join the EU. (The six other current EU countries were original founding members.) The timeline varies, however, depending on national and global politics and on how much a country needs to reform its own laws to meet the EU\u2019s standards. For nine countries, the complete accession process took 10 or more years; Cyprus and Malta each took almost 14 years to officially join, the longest of any current member countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just reaching candidacy status can take several years. Among the current EU members, it took an average of roughly 3.5 years from the time a country submitted a formal application to the time the European Council approved its candidacy. Ukraine\u2019s and Moldova\u2019s applications were approved about 11 times faster than the average EU member, taking almost four months. (Ukraine submitted its application on Feb. 28, 2022, and Moldova applied on March 3; both countries were granted candidacy status on June 23.) The next quickest was Greece, which rose to candidacy in about eight months. Malta (9.4 years) and Ireland (8.4 years) took the longest to achieve candidacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"which-step-takes-the-longest\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Which step takes the longest?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The negotiation phase of joining the EU is by far the longest. Among the current EU members, the time between the launch of negotiations and the signing of an accession treaty has taken an average of about four years \u2013 accounting for roughly half of the average duration of the accession process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Negotiations took five or more years for 11 of the 21 current EU countries that went through the accession process. Portugal\u2019s negotiations took the longest (6.7 years), but Spain (6.3 years) and Croatia (6.2 years) were close behind. Negotiations for Austria, Finland and Sweden were the quickest, lasting only 1.3 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"which-was-the-most-recent-country-to-join-the-eu\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Which was the most recent country to join the EU?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Croatia was the last to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-europe-23118035\">join the bloc<\/a> in 2013, a decade after it first submitted its application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"which-countries-are-currently-trying-to-join-the-eu\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Which countries are currently trying to join the EU?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today, there are five other current candidate countries besides Ukraine and Moldova: Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey. Turkey started <a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/neighbourhood-enlargement\/enlargement-policy\/negotiations-status\/turkey_en\">negotiations<\/a> in October 2005, but talks have been effectively frozen since June 2018, when the European Council <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/media\/35863\/st10555-en18.pdf\">expressed concern<\/a> over what it called \u201cbacksliding on the rule of law and on fundamental rights including the freedom of expression\u201d in the country. <a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/neighbourhood-enlargement\/enlargement-policy\/negotiations-status\/montenegro_en\">Montenegro<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Business\/wireStory\/serbia-takes-big-step-forward-eu-membership-talks-81745488\">Serbia<\/a> began negotiations in 2012 and 2014, respectively. The EU <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/albania-ursula-von-der-leyen-european-union-edi-rama-c302c3fb6329185f30e6952a906b201a\">opened talks<\/a> with Albania and North Macedonia in mid-July, after Bulgaria<a href=\"https:\/\/www.france24.com\/en\/europe\/20220624-bulgarian-parliament-votes-to-lift-veto-on-eu-accession-talks-with-north-macedonia\"> lifted its long-standing veto<\/a> that had blocked negotiations, offering hope for the two aspiring members\u2019 future accession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-640-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-11834\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2022\/07\/26\/how-exactly-do-countries-join-the-eu\/ft_22-07-11_eu_3-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"dde0dd\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #dde0dd;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" height=\"645\" width=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?w=640\" alt=\"A map showing where countries stand with the European Union\" class=\"wp-image-11834 not-transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png 1280w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=150,150 150w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=298,300 298w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=768,774 768w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=1016,1024 1016w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=402,405 402w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=200,202 200w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=260,262 260w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=310,312 310w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=420,423 420w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=640,645 640w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=740,746 740w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=75,75 75w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=140,140 140w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=160,161 160w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_3.png?resize=320,323 320w\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"how-common-is-it-for-countries-to-leave-the-eu-as-the-united-kingdom-officially-did-in-2020\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How common is it for countries to leave the EU, as the United Kingdom officially did in 2020?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/uk-politics-32810887\">Brexit<\/a> might be the most well-known EU departure, it\u2019s not the only one in history. Greenland, a limited self-governing Danish territory, originally joined in 1973 as an integrated part of Denmark (but not a member state). It withdrew from the EU, then called the European Communities, in 1985 following a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1982\/02\/24\/world\/greenland-votes-on-quitting-common-market.html\">referendum<\/a> in February 1982. Today, it retains a special association with the organization as one of the EU\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu\/countries\/overseas-countries-and-territories_en\">Overseas Countries and Territories<\/a>. Algeria, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/event\/Algerian-War\">former French colony<\/a>, and two other self-governing overseas collectivities of France (Saint-Barth\u00e9l\u00e9my and Saint-Pierre and Miquelon) followed similar paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Other countries failed to garner enough public support to join the EU in the first place. Norway signed a treaty of accession on Jan. 22, 1972, nearly 10 years after it submitted its first EU (then-EC) application. But it soon abandoned its membership bid after its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cvce.eu\/en\/education\/unit-content\/-\/unit\/02bb76df-d066-4c08-a58a-d4686a3e68ff\/8bf94809-5b45-4840-8a90-9a33b4479419\">citizens voted against joining<\/a> in a September 1972 referendum. Switzerland <a href=\"https:\/\/www.upi.com\/Archives\/1992\/05\/26\/Switzerland-applies-for-EC-membership\/9879706852800\/\">applied for membership<\/a> in 1992, but its application remained dormant for years following unfavorable referendum results; the country officially <a href=\"https:\/\/www.swissinfo.ch\/eng\/european-policy_swiss-to-withdraw-dormant-eu-bid\/42229112\">withdrew its bid<\/a> in June 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">National politics played a role in other failed candidacies. Iceland applied for EU membership in July 2009 but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2013\/may\/22\/iceland-eu\">halted accession negotiations<\/a> in May 2013 when government control shifted hands. Unable to reach an agreement on fishing quotas \u2013 fishing being one of the country\u2019s key industries \u2013 Iceland officially <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2015\/mar\/12\/iceland-drops-european-union-membership-bid\">withdrew its application<\/a> in March 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"does-the-eu-have-any-rules-in-place-in-the-event-that-a-member-country-is-attacked-militarily-as-ukraine-recently-was-by-russia\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Does the EU have any rules in place in the event that a member country is attacked militarily, as Ukraine recently was by Russia?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Since 2009, EU countries have been bound by a <a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/EN\/legal-content\/glossary\/mutual-defence-clause.html\">mutual defense clause<\/a> to aid \u201cby all the means in their power\u201d fellow members that are subjected to armed aggression. Assistance is not limited to direct military support, so countries with neutrality policies can still participate. The clause has only been invoked once \u2013 to support France following the Nov. 13, 2015, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-europe-34818994\">terrorist attack in Paris<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-420-wide\"><a rel=\"attachment wp-att-11835\" href=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2022\/07\/26\/how-exactly-do-countries-join-the-eu\/ft_22-07-11_eu_4-png\/\"><img data-dominant-color=\"e0e4e3\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #e0e4e3;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" height=\"477\" width=\"420\" src=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?w=420\" alt=\"A Venn diagram showing that 21 EU countries are also NATO members\" class=\"wp-image-11835 not-transparent\" srcset=\"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png 840w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=264,300 264w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=768,872 768w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=357,405 357w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=200,227 200w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=260,295 260w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=310,352 310w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=420,477 420w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=640,727 640w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=740,840 740w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=160,182 160w, https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_4.png?resize=320,363 320w\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most EU members (21 out of 27) are also part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nato.int\/nato-welcome\/\">North Atlantic Treaty Organization<\/a> (NATO), an international military alliance with its own <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nato.int\/cps\/en\/natohq\/topics_110496.htm\">collective defense provisions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the EU is primarily an economic and political alliance, it has signaled moves to strengthen its defense capabilities. The European Commission recently proposed creating a Defense Joint Procurement Task Force to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2022\/05\/18\/brussels-wants-to-help-eu-countries-with-defence-spending-in-joint-purchasing-programme\">coordinate members\u2019 military spending<\/a> in response to Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here are answers to some common questions about the EU, how countries can join it, how long each step typically takes and more. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":584,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","sub_headline":"","sub_title":"","_prc_public_revisions":[],"_ppp_expiration_hours":0,"_ppp_enabled":false,"ai_generated_summary":"","apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_cover_media_provider":"image","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_cover_video_id":0,"apple_news_cover_video_url":"","apple_news_cover_embedwebvideo_url":"","apple_news_is_hidden":"","apple_news_is_paid":"","apple_news_is_preview":"","apple_news_is_sponsored":"","apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":[],"apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false,"relatedPosts":[],"_prc_fork_parent":0,"_prc_fork_status":"","_prc_active_fork":0,"datacite_doi":"","datacite_doi_citation":"","_prc_seo_qr_attachment_id":0,"spoken_article_player_enabled":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[121],"bylines":[652],"collection":[],"datasets":[],"_post_visibility":[],"formats":[467],"_fund_pool":[],"languages":[],"regions-countries":[516,514],"research-teams":[],"class_list":["post-8379","short-read","type-short-read","status-publish","hentry","category-european-union","bylines-rebecca-leppert","formats-short-read","regions-countries-europe-russia","regions-countries-international"],"label":"Short Read","post_parent":0,"word_count":2059,"canonical_url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2022\/07\/26\/how-exactly-do-countries-join-the-eu\/","art_direction":{"A1":{"id":11871,"rawUrl":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_feature-jpg.webp","url":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2022\/07\/FT_22.07.11_EU_feature-jpg.webp?w=564&h=317&crop=1","width":564,"height":317,"caption":"A woman holds Ukrainian and EU flags during the opening ceremony of Free Ukraine Square located next to the Russian embassy in Krakow, Poland on July, 12, 2022.  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