cooperating states - (2) Canada, Hungary
European Union (EU): note - evolved from the European Community (EC)
established - 7 February 1992; effective - 1 November 1993
aim - to coordinate policy among the 15 members in three fields: economics, building on the European Economic Community's (EEC) efforts to establish a common market and eventually a common currency to be called the 'euro', which superseded the EU's accounting unit, the ECU; defense, within the concept of a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP); and justice and home affairs, including immigration, drugs, terrorism, and improved living and working conditions
members - (15) Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK
new member states - (10) Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia; note - states will be admitted into the Union 1 May 2004
membership applicants - (3) Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey
First World: another term for countries with advanced, industrialized economies; this term is fading from use; see developed countries (DCs)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): established - 16 October 1945
aim - to raise living standards and increase availability of agricultural products; a UN specialized agency