The NUTS classification is defined only for the Member States of the European Union. However, there is an increasing demand for statistical information at a regional level for the candidate countries awaiting accession to the EU, potential candidates and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries. Therefore Eurostat, in consultation with the countries concerned, also determines codes of statistical regions in these countries. Statistical regions for these countries are determined in accordance with principles similar to those used to determine the NUTS classification.

Currently, the candidate countries are the following: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Agreement on the division into statistical regions has not yet been reached with Georgia and Moldova, as well as at level 3 with Bosnia and Herzegovina. EFTA includes: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The first three EFTA countries, together with the countries of the European Union, belong to the European Economic Area.

Following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (1 February 2020), the statistical division of this country ceased to be a division within the NUTS classification of EU countries. The statistical division currently existing in this country is not consulted with Eurostat.

Number of statistical units in individual countries: