List of Regional Blocs in Europe, Their Mandates, and Headquarters

1. European Union (EU)

1. 1. The European Union is an economic and political block uniting 27 European Countries.
   2. It is the most important trade bloc in Europe.
   3. Headquartered in Brussels Belgium, the EU has the following mandate;
      1. 1. Promote peace, its values, and the well-being of citizens in the Member States.
         2. Offer freedom, security, and justice without internal borders of Member States.
         3. Establishment of an internal common market.
         4. Taking appropriate measures at its external borders to regulate asylum-seeking and immigration.
         5. Establishment of an economic and monetary union whose currency is the euro
   4. The European Mandate is found in article 3 of the Lisbon Treaty.

Also read: List of Regional Blocs in Africa, Their Mandates, and Headquarters

2. European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

1. 1. European Free Trade Association is a European regional bloc with the following member countries;
      1. 1. Iceland
         2. Liechtenstein
         3. Norway
         4. Switzerland
   2. It was formed in 1960 for the promotion of free trade and economic integration between its members.
   3. The European Free Trade Association has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

3. European Economic Area (EEA)

1. 1. The European Economic Area was established to extend the European Union’s single market to member states of the European Free Trade Association.
   2. This allowed Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway to be part of the European Union’s single market.
   3. Established in 1994, the European Economic Area has its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, alongside the European Union.

4. Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA)

1. 1. The Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) was established in December 1992.
   2. Its Member States are;
      1. 1. Albania
         2. Bosnia and Herzegovina
         3. Macedonia
         4. Moldova
         5. Montenegro
         6. Kosovo
         7. Serbia
   3. The Central European Free Trade Agreement was formed to help these countries to integrate into western Europe’s regional blocks.
   4. The ultimate objective was their final integration into European political, economic, security, and legal systems.

5. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

1. 1. NATO is a security alliance of 30 countries from North America and Europe.
   2. NATO’s fundamental mandate is to safeguard the Allies’ freedom and security by political and military means.
   3. NATO headquarters is located at Boulevard Leopold III in Brussels, Belgium.
   4. An attack against one NATO Ally is an attack against all is a core value of the Alliance with a promise of collective defense.

Also read: List of All European Union (EU) Members

 6. Collective Security Treaty Organization 

1. 1. The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) is an intergovernmental military alliance in Eurasia.
   2. It consists of the following six post-Soviet states:
      1. 1. Armenia
         2. Belarus
         3. Kazakhstan
         4. Kyrgyzstan
         5. Russia
         6. Tajikistan
   3. The Collective Security Treaty Organization has the following mandate;
      1. 1. Strengthening of peace, international and regional security, and stability
         2. The protection on a collective basis of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Member States.