France , Italy and West Germany were founder states of the EU .
France , Italy , Germany and Spain are the four most populous mainland states of the European Union , and four of the five largest EU economies ( the other being the United Kingdom ) .
France , Italy and Germany   were founder states of the EU .
France , Italy , Germany and Spain are the four most populous mainland states of the European Union , and four of the five largest EU economies ( the other being the United Kingdom ) .