European Union

The European Union (EU) is a unique economic and political union between 27 European countries.
The United Kingdom, which had been a founding member of the EU, left the organization in 2020.
The EU was created by the Maastricht Treaty, which entered into force on November 1, 1993. The treaty was designed to enhance European political and economic integration by creating a single currency (the euro), a unified foreign and security policy, and common citizenship rights and by advancing cooperation in the areas of immigration, asylum, and judicial affairs.
Additionally, the Treaty of Lisbon, enacted in 2009, gave the EU more broad powers that included being authorized to sign international treaties, increase border patrol, and other security and enforcement provisions.
EU’s headquarters is currently located in Brussels, Belgium.
Currently, the euro is the official currency of 19 out of 27 EU member countries which together constitute the Eurozone, officially called the euro area.

The European Union has imposed sanctions on six Russian officials and one organisation over the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny with a Soviet-era nerve agent- Novichok.
Last week, tests conducted at labs designated by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed that Navalny was poisoned by a Novichok nerve agent.

The Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is a universal, non-discriminatory, multi-lateral, disarmament treaty which prohibits the development, production, stock-piling and use of chemical weapons and monitors its elimination in order to secure a chemical weapons free world.
The Convention entered into force in 1997. As on date, 193 countries are parties to the Convention.
India is a signatory and party to the convention. India, pursuant to provisions of the Convention enacted the Chemical Weapons Convention Act, 2000.

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons Convention.
The OPCW, with its 193 Member States (including India), oversees the global endeavour to permanently and verifiably eliminate chemical weapons.

Reference:

Today Current Affairs Upsc Exam Syllabus & Previous Yearpaper.