UPSC Prelims 2026Question 75International Relations

Which of the following countries are members of the European Union ?
1. Belarus
2. Poland
3. Germany
4. Switzerland
Select the answer using the code given below:

Options

(a)1, 2 and 4
(b)1 and 4 only
(c)2 and 3
(d)2 and 4 only

Correct answer: c

Decision rule

Being in Europe, Schengen or the euro area is not EU membership: Switzerland and Norway are Schengen but outside the EU; Belarus is outside all.

Explanation

Correct Answer

(c) 2 and 3

Explanation of the Correct Answer

Among the given countries:

Country	EU Member?	Explanation
1. Belarus	No	Belarus is a European country geographically, but it is not a member of the European Union.
2. Poland	Yes	Poland is a member of the European Union.
3. Germany	Yes	Germany is one of the founding and major members of the European Union.
4. Switzerland	No	Switzerland is in Europe but not an EU member. It is associated with Europe through arrangements such as Schengen participation and bilateral agreements.

The official EU list includes Poland and Germany among EU countries, but not Belarus or Switzerland. (European Union)

Therefore, the correct answer is (c) 2 and 3.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option	Combination	Verdict	Reason
(a)	1, 2 and 4	Incorrect	Belarus and Switzerland are not EU members.
(b)	1 and 4 only	Incorrect	Neither Belarus nor Switzerland is an EU member.
(c)	2 and 3	Correct	Poland and Germany are both EU members.
(d)	2 and 4 only	Incorrect	Poland is an EU member, but Switzerland is not.

Relevant Supplementary Information

EU Membership Status of Given Countries

Country	EU Membership Status	Other Relevant Association
Belarus	Not an EU member	Eastern European country; not part of EU or Schengen
Poland	EU member	Joined EU in 2004; not part of Eurozone
Germany	EU member	Founding EU member; part of Eurozone and Schengen
Switzerland	Not an EU member	Part of Schengen Area, but outside EU

EU, Eurozone and Schengen: Basic Difference

Grouping	Meaning	Examples
European Union	Political and economic union of European states	Germany, Poland, France, Italy
Eurozone	EU countries using the euro as currency	Germany, France, Italy, Spain
Schengen Area	Countries allowing passport-free travel among members	Germany, Switzerland, France, Poland
Europe as a continent	Geographical region	Includes EU and non-EU countries such as Switzerland, Norway and Belarus

Key Takeaways from the Tables

Poland and Germany are EU members.
Switzerland is not an EU member, though it is part of the Schengen Area.
Belarus is neither an EU member nor part of Schengen.
Do not confuse Europe, European Union, Eurozone, and Schengen Area.

Point	Explanation
Germany and Poland are EU members	This was the core fact in the question.
Belarus and Switzerland are not EU members	Switzerland is European and Schengen-linked, but outside the EU.
EU membership and Eurozone membership are different	Poland is in the EU but does not use the euro.
EU membership and Schengen membership are different	Switzerland is in Schengen but not in the EU.
Do not equate Europe with European Union	Many European countries are outside the EU, such as Switzerland, Norway, Belarus and the UK.

Context and Current Relevance

The EU currently has 27 member countries. (European Union)
Switzerland’s case is important because it is deeply connected with Europe economically and through Schengen, yet remains outside the EU.
Poland is an EU member but still uses the Polish złoty, showing that EU membership and Eurozone membership are different.

The EU is a major political and economic bloc with 27 member countries.
Questions often test confusion between EU, Eurozone, Schengen Area, and Europe as a continent.
Switzerland is especially important because it is highly integrated with Europe but remains outside the EU.

Table: European Countries Commonly Asked in EU Membership Questions

Country	EU Member?	Eurozone Member?	Schengen Area?	Remarks
Germany	Yes	Yes	Yes	Founding and major EU member
France	Yes	Yes	Yes	Founding EU member
Italy	Yes	Yes	Yes	Founding EU member
Belgium	Yes	Yes	Yes	Founding EU member; EU institutions located in Brussels
Netherlands	Yes	Yes	Yes	Founding EU member
Luxembourg	Yes	Yes	Yes	Founding EU member
Poland	Yes	No	Yes	Joined EU in 2004; uses Polish złoty
Hungary	Yes	No	Yes	EU member but not Eurozone member
Czech Republic	Yes	No	Yes	EU member but uses Czech koruna
Sweden	Yes	No	Yes	EU member but not Eurozone member
Denmark	Yes	No	Yes	EU member with euro opt-out
Croatia	Yes	Yes	Yes	Newest EU member; joined EU in 2013 and Eurozone/Schengen in 2023
Romania	Yes	No	Partial / recently integrated into Schengen framework	EU member but not Eurozone member
Bulgaria	Yes	No	Partial / recently integrated into Schengen framework	EU member but not Eurozone member
Austria	Yes	Yes	Yes	EU and Eurozone member
Spain	Yes	Yes	Yes	EU and Eurozone member
Portugal	Yes	Yes	Yes	EU and Eurozone member
Ireland	Yes	Yes	No	EU and Eurozone member, but not Schengen

Table: European Countries That Are Not EU Members

Country	EU Member?	Schengen Area?	Remarks
Switzerland	No	Yes	Not in EU, but part of Schengen and closely linked economically
Norway	No	Yes	Not in EU, but part of European Economic Area and Schengen
Iceland	No	Yes	Not in EU, but part of EEA and Schengen
Liechtenstein	No	Yes	Not in EU, but part of EEA and Schengen
United Kingdom	No	No	Left the EU after Brexit
Belarus	No	No	Not part of EU, Eurozone or Schengen
Russia	No	No	European and Asian country geographically, but not EU member
Ukraine	No	No	EU candidate country
Moldova	No	No	EU candidate country
Serbia	No	No	EU candidate country
Albania	No	No	EU candidate country
Türkiye	No	No	EU candidate country, but accession process is long-stalled

Table: EU, Eurozone and Schengen Difference

Term	Meaning	Example Members	Important Non-Example
European Union	Political and economic union of European countries	Germany, France, Poland, Croatia	Switzerland is not in EU
Eurozone	EU countries that use the euro as currency	Germany, France, Italy, Spain	Poland is EU member but not Eurozone member
Schengen Area	Passport-free travel zone	Germany, France, Switzerland, Norway	Ireland is EU member but not Schengen member
Europe	Geographical continent/region	Germany, Switzerland, Belarus, Norway	Being in Europe does not mean being in EU

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Which of the following countries are members of the European Union ?1. Belarus2. Poland3. Germany4. SwitzerlandSelect the answer using the code given below: