European Union

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of national governments located primarily in Europe on Earth. Established under its current name in 1993, the EU continues to exist as a major political entity in the 26th century. A democratic confederation of nations, the European Union is economically and politically powerful, as well as proudly multicultural.

Early history
Europe is the birthplace of Western culture. European nations played a predominant role in global affairs from the 16th century onwards, especially after the beginning of colonization. By the 17th and 18th centuries European nations controlled most of Africa, the Americas, and large portions of Asia. World War I and World War II led to a decline in European dominance in world affairs as the United States and Soviet Union gained prominence. The Cold War between those two superpowers divided Europe along what came to be known as the Iron Curtain. The European Union was formally established when the Maastricht Treaty—whose main architects were Helmut Kohl and François Mitterrand—came into force on November 1st, 1993.

Recent history
At some point in the 22nd century, the Houses of Parliament in the United Kingdom (a member of the European Union) were severely damaged in a domestic terrorist attack. At some other point following this attack, Russia gained control over the UK, which at that point ceased to be a member of the EU and instead became subservient to that nation. During the Jovian Moons Campaign in 2160, and again throughout the Interplanetary War (2164-2170), the Frieden movement was supported by corporations headquartered in the Unified German Republic, since they were often targets of Koslovic-affiliated "workers' crusades" and much of the Frieden-controlled territory included German colonies. At the end of that war, Unified Earth Government became a full-fledged governing entity, which then gained full autonomy and authority over Earth and her colonies in 2204. As a geopolitical entity on Earth, the European Union has been directly subordinate to the United Nations ever since. When the war with the Covenant began, the United Nations Space Command took over all governmental affairs, both on Earth and throughout human-occupied space. Over the course of the war, Beweglichkeitsrüstungsysteme, a corporation based in Essen, Unified German Republic, was responsible for developing multiple variants of MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor, including the CQB, CQC, and JFO-class variants. Following the end of the decades-long conflict, Beweglichkeitsrüstungsysteme continued its work, creating Technician and Freebooter variants of the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor and the Rampart VISR, for the GEN2 platform. On October 28th, 2558, a Guardian arrived at Earth under the direction of Cortana and swiftly proceeded to knock out all communications and power across the planet with an enormous electromagnetic pulse. The European Union was not spared and fell under her sway along with every other nation-state and political subdivision on the planet, not to mention those on many other human colonies as well.

Locations

 * France
 * Avignon
 * Paris
 * Université de l'Astrophysique
 * Germany
 * Essen
 * Beweglichkeitsrüstungsysteme - a major UNSC armor development and testing facility
 * United Kingdom
 * England
 * Hull - birthplace of Randall Aiken
 * London - Previously the capital of England and home to the Houses of Parliament, the site of a terror attack in the 22nd century and the location chosen for Iona's trial.
 * Wolverhampton - birthplace of Malcolm Geffen
 * Scotland - birthplace of Michael Baird
 * Iona - the island of which inspired the name of the AI Iona.
 * Scandinavia

List of residents

 * Malcolm Geffen
 * Randall Aiken
 * Terrence Hood
 * Thomas Porter
 * Tobias Fleming Shaw

List of appearances

 * Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe
 * Midnight in the Heart of Midlothian
 * Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
 * Terminals
 * Halo: Glasslands
 * Halo: Saint's Testimony (simulated)