About EU

• 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 in 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.

Eurozone

• All European Union Member States coordinate their economic policy-making to support the economic aims of the EU. 
• However, a number of Member States have taken a step further by replacing their national currencies with the single currency – the euro. These Member States form the eurozone, officially known as the euro area.
• The eurozone consists of 20 countries in the European Union.

Why in News?

• The euro zone economy probably shrank last quarter, according to a survey which showed demand fell in September at the fastest pace in almost three years.
• HCOB’s final Composite Purchasing Managers’ In­dex (PMI), compiled by S&P Global and a good gauge of overall economic health, nudged up to 47.2 in September from Au­gust’s 46.7. 
• That was below the 50 mark separating growth from contraction for a fourth month.