EU countries list 2026: all 27 member states
As of 2026 the European Union has 27 member states, after the United Kingdom's exit in 2020; this guide lists every country with its capital, accession year and euro status.
The context
EU membership and the euro in 2026
The European Union has 27 member states. Since Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, 21 EU countries use the common currency. EU membership and euro-area membership are different: six EU countries retain their national currencies.
The EU traces back to six founding members under the 1957 Treaty of Rome, which took effect in 1958: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The bloc’s largest single expansion came in 2004, when ten countries joined at once, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe. Croatia’s entry in 2013 remains the most recent addition. The United Kingdom’s departure, completed in 2020, brought the total down from 28 to today’s 27.
Here is the full list, with capital cities and the year each country joined:
| Country | Capital | Joined EU | Euro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | Vienna | 1995 | yes |
| Belgium | Brussels | 1958 (founding member) | yes |
| Bulgaria | Sofia | 2007 | yes (since 1 January 2026) |
| Croatia | Zagreb | 2013 | yes (since 2023) |
| Cyprus | Nicosia | 2004 | yes |
| Czechia | Prague | 2004 | no (koruna) |
| Denmark | Copenhagen | 1973 | no (krone, formal opt-out) |
| Estonia | Tallinn | 2004 | yes |
| Finland | Helsinki | 1995 | yes |
| France | Paris | 1958 (founding member) | yes |
| Germany | Berlin | 1958 (founding member) | yes |
| Greece | Athens | 1981 | yes |
| Hungary | Budapest | 2004 | no (forint) |
| Ireland | Dublin | 1973 | yes |
| Italy | Rome | 1958 (founding member) | yes |
| Latvia | Riga | 2004 | yes |
| Lithuania | Vilnius | 2004 | yes |
| Luxembourg | Luxembourg City | 1958 (founding member) | yes |
| Malta | Valletta | 2004 | yes |
| Netherlands | Amsterdam | 1958 (founding member) | yes |
| Poland | Warsaw | 2004 | no (zloty) |
| Portugal | Lisbon | 1986 | yes |
| Romania | Bucharest | 2007 | no (leu) |
| Slovakia | Bratislava | 2004 | yes |
| Slovenia | Ljubljana | 2004 | yes |
| Spain | Madrid | 1986 | yes |
| Sweden | Stockholm | 1995 | no (krona) |
As of 2026, 21 of the 27 member states use the euro, following Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone. The remaining six (Czechia, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Sweden) keep their own national currencies, whether by choice, opt-out, or because they have not yet met the eurozone’s convergence criteria. Beyond the bloc’s borders, several European countries remain outside the EU altogether, including Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Serbia and Albania.
Beyond the EU: the Schengen area countries list and all 195 countries of the world.
One step wider than the EU: the 30 EEA countries, which add Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to the single market.
Sources checked on 27 September 2026: European Union member countries, countries using the euro.