The EU has just over 450 million people, less than 6 percent of the global population, but it generates nearly 20 percent of the world’s economic output, as against almost 25 percent for the United States. It accounts for nearly 15 percent of global exports of goods—a third more than the United States—including cars, airliners, pharmaceuticals, and luxury goods. Moreover, half of its 27 members are among the top 30 countries in terms of quality of life, as measured by the United Nations’ Human Development Index.
