The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states located primarily in Europe. It operates through a hybrid system of supranational and intergovernmental decision-making. The EU has its own currency, the euro, used by 20 of the member states, and maintains common policies on trade, agriculture, fisheries, and regional development.

The EU aims to promote peace, its values, and the well-being of its citizens. It seeks to offer freedom, security, and justice without internal borders, and to establish an internal market where competition is free and undistorted. In recent years, the EU has focused on enhancing its strategic autonomy, particularly in defense and digital technologies, to reduce dependency on external powers.