The European Union (EU), established by the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, is a continuation of the European cooperation initiated after the end of the Second World War.

The basic idea underlying the founding of the EU was to draw the countries of Europe into mutual interdependence through greater cooperation. Commitment to binding agreements between members was intended to lessen the likelihood of war and conflict. This increased cooperation has been pursued in depth (by including more and more new members) and in depth (by expanding to more and more political areas). Norway is not a member of the EU, but is closely linked to it through the EEA agreement on economic cooperation, the Schengen Agreement on police cooperation and border controls, and various other agreements. Relations with the EU have become an important component of Norwegian foreign policy.

Learn more about NUPI's research on Europe on the webpage of NUPI Centre for European Studies.

EU research at NUPI focuses on questions such as:

• What is happening within EU foreign policy and defence politics?
• How does the EU handle its neighbourhood relations to the Middle East and North Africa?
• How does the EU deal with issues related to energy security?
• How can the EU handle a new global role after the financial crisis?
• What is the role of small states in shaping the EU and its policies?

NUPI has been a member of the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) since November 2015. TEPSA is the first transeuropean research network. Click here for more information about TEPSA.