# European Union

> Source: https://healthcareinnovation.tn/institutions/european-union/
> Author: healthcareinnovation.com
> Published: 2026-09-04
> Updated: 2026-09-04

Established in its current form by the Maastricht Treaty in 1993, the European Union is a supranational political and economic union of 27 member states headquartered in Brussels. Through its external action instruments, notably NDICI-Global Europe and the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, it funds cooperation programmes with partner countries, including cluster and innovation initiatives across the Southern Mediterranean.