There are 27 member nations that make up the European Union (EU), which is a political and economic union subject to the rights and duties of membership. A number of countries, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Greece, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, and Sweden are also members of the European Union.