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Eurostat's published statistics often include countries in and around Europe that are not EU members. This is made possible through the statistical cooperation with non-EU countries that are either part of the European statistical system (ESS) or associated with EU enlargement or European Neighbourhood Policies.

In statistical publications, Eurostat normally lists countries according to the country group they belong to (EU country, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) country, EU candidate country or potential candidate).

EU, EFTA, EU candidate and potential candidate countries. Map.

European statistical system

The ESS is the partnership between the EU statistical authority, which is the European Commission (Eurostat), and the national statistical institutes and other national authorities responsible in each EU country for the development, production and dissemination of European statistics.

This partnership also includes the 4 countries represented by EFTA: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. 

EU enlargement policy

Outside of the EU, several countries have candidate country status and are in the process of joining the EU, while others are potential candidates. 

The current candidate countries are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye and Ukraine. The potential candidate is Kosovo (this designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/1999 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence).

Eurostat monitors the progress of candidate countries and potential candidates in complying with the EU acquis in the field of statistics and collects and publishes data from these countries. In addition, Eurostat provides technical assistance and support to the national statistical institutes of each candidate country and potential candidate to enable them to produce and disseminate data of high quality according to European standards.

European Neighbourhood Policy

The objective of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) is to reinforce the cooperation between the enlarged EU and its neighbours and to strengthen the prosperity, stability and security of all. 

The main objective of statistical cooperation with ENP countries is to support the countries in the development of their statistical systems allowing them to produce and disseminate harmonised and comparable economic and social data as well as to increase compliance with European and international standards.

The ENP covers 16 countries, divided into two regional groups: ENP-East countries and ENP-South countries.