There are several sub-regional groupings in the EU, which provide forums for cross-border cooperation between smaller groups of states. Sub-regional governance allows for effective and sustainable cross-border cooperation on issues of common interest. These groupings vary in terms of size of membership and levels of institutionalisation, with the Central Five Format being a regular meeting of foreign ministers while the Benelux Union has a secretariat, a parliament, and several institutional bodies. The majority of these sub-regional groupings are composed of only EU Member States, although there are a number, including the Craiova Group and the Lublin Triangle, that include states outside of the EU.

This Future-Proofing Europe infographic provides a visual overview of 22 sub-regional grouping in Europe in a table and through maps.