Comparative analysis of the economic development level and dynamics of the EU founding countries

Abstract

The economy of the European Union (EU), one of the three largest economies in the world, consists of the economies of 27 countries. These countries have different levels of economic and socio-political development, which is a serious problem for the EU. Usually within the level of economic development analysis of EU countries, 14 countries joined the EU before May 2004 (EU Group 14) are compared to another 13 countries that have joined the EU since May 2004 (EU group 13),оr analysis used to be conducted within the EU group 14 countries (or within theEU group 13countries). Presented research based on the analysis of the level and dynamics of economic development of the EU founding countries: Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, France, Germany. On March 25, 1957, these countries signed the Treaty Establishing the European Economic Community (EEC), which entered into force on January 1, 1958. On January 1, 1994, the EEC was transformed into the EU on the basis of the Maastricht Treaty. This study was conducted on the previously developed methodology for determining and assessing the level and dynamics of the country's economic development. The analysis made it possible to assess the level of economic development of the founding countries of the EU in 2015 and in 2021, the change in the level of their economic development of the studied countries over this period of time, the gap in the level and dynamics of economic development of these countries that are members of the single integration association of countries (EEC-EU) for more than 65 years, the importance of the Benelux Union in the development of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg.