Explanation:

The European Union has evolved over time from an economic union to an increasingly political one.  The EU has started to act more as a nation state. While the attempts to have a Constitution for the EU  have failed, it has its own flag, anthem, founding date, and currency. It also has some form of a common foreign and security policy in its dealings with other nations. The European Union has tried to expand  areas of cooperation while acquiring new members, especially from the erstwhile Soviet bloc. The  process has not proved easy, for people in many countries are not very enthusiastic in giving the EU  powers that were exercised by the government of their country. There are also reservations about  including some new countries within the EU. The EU has economic, political and diplomatic, and military  influence. The EU is no longer the world’s second biggest economy as it has been taken over by China.