9781422277973

THE EUROPEAN UNION AT A GLANCE

The European Flag The history of the flag dates back to 1955 when the Council of Europe, which defends

It features a circle of twelve gold stars on a blue background, which stand for the ideals of unity, solidarity, and harmony among the peoples of Europe. The twelve stars also represent completeness and perfection.

human rights and promotes European culture, chose the present design for its own use. In the years that followed, it encouraged the emerging European institutions to adopt the same flag. In 1985, the flag was adopted by the European Community and was then inherited by the European Union (EU) in 1993. The European flag symbolizes both the European Union and, more broadly, the identity and unity of Europe.

ABOVE: The flags of European Union members fly outside the European Parliament Building in Strasbourg.

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