Why are some European countries not in the EU?

By one reckoning there are 51 countries in Europe. Only 6 were in the EEC on formation, forerunner to the EU. 28 European countries today are in the EU (soon to be 27 as the UK leaves). There is no reason at all why every country in Europe should be in the EU. read more

Sticking to European countries (and using the widest definition of Europe) the following 23 European countries are NOT in the EU: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Macedonia (FYROM), Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Vatican City (Holy See). read more

European countries that are not part of the European Union include Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Albania, Switzerland, Turkey, Russia, Macedonia and Montenegro. Of these, two countries, Russia and Turkey, straddle Europe and Asia. read more