There are several synonyms for the term "European Communities", which can refer to the various intergovernmental organizations that have existed in Europe over the years. One common synonym is "European Union", which is a political and economic union of 27 member states that was established in 1993. Another synonym is "European Economic Community", which was the precursor to the EU and existed from 1957 to 1993. Other synonyms include "European Atomic Energy Community" and "European Coal and Steel Community", which were early forms of European integration focused on specific industries. Finally, the term "Eurozone" is sometimes used to refer specifically to the 19 countries that use the euro as their currency.