France and the European Union The European Union (EU), which now has 27 Member States, stems from the European Economic Community (EEC) created in 1957. This organization has no equivalent in the world. France is a founding member with Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Italy. Europe Published on : October 06th 2019 Updated on : March 20th 2026 Dans cette rubrique The ministry in action Action for peace and respect for human rights Action within the UN Security, Disarmament and Non-proliferation Emergency Humanitarian Action Protecting Human Rights Gender equality: a priority for France Commitment to international justice Digital Diplomacy Promoting a sovereign Europe The European Political Community Defence Europe France and the European Union European matters Promoting French businesses and France’s attractiveness Attracting foreign investment Attracting international students Destination France: The recovery and transformation plan for tourism Promoting French expertise in sport Supporting French exporters Supporting researchers and scientific cooperation globally The French Government’s Trade Policy Ensuring the presence of French culture Cultural Diplomacy Defending Francophonie and the French language Franco-German cooperation Supporting the cultural and creative industries Contributing to sustainable, balanced globalization Addressing the climate and environmental emergency Combating global social inequality External action of local government bodies Summits and global issues Regional strategies France at the Council of Europe France has a unique relationship with the Council of Europe, being its host country. The Council of Europe, the main organization defending human... European integration On 9 May, the Member States of the European Union celebrate Europe Day. This date was chosen to mark the anniversary of the Schuman Declaration,... The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union On 1 January 2022, for the first time in 14 years, France will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. How does the Council of...