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International Relations & Diplomacy vocabulary · International Organisations

European Union

Meaning in international relations & diplomacy, with examples

nounCore term

In international relations & diplomacy, European Union means: A political and economic union of European states that share common institutions, a single market and many common policies; its members pool part of their sovereignty.

In Turkish: Avrupa Birliği, AB

How it is used

Shortened to 'the EU'. Key institutions are the European Commission, the Council of the EU, the European Parliament and the European Council of leaders. Countries apply for membership, become candidates and hold accession negotiations.

Example sentences

  1. The European Union has signed trade agreements with dozens of countries.

  2. Each member of the European Union sends a minister to Council meetings.

  3. The country applied to join the European Union and became a candidate two years later.

Common collocations

  • EU member states
  • join the EU
  • EU institutions
  • EU candidate country
  • EU law
  • member stateA country that belongs to an international organisation such as the UN or the EU, with the rights and duties that membership brings.
  • accessionThe act of a state becoming a party to a treaty that it did not sign earlier, or joining an international organisation such as the EU or NATO.
  • international organisationA body set up by agreement between states, with its own members, rules and permanent staff, to deal with shared problems such as security, trade, health or development.
  • sovereigntyThe full right and power of a state to govern its own territory and people without outside interference; a basic principle of the modern international system.
  • sanctionsPenalties, such as trade restrictions or frozen assets, that one or more countries or international organisations impose on a state, group or person to change their behaviour.

More terms: International Organisations

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