[11], In 1987, following the adoption of the flag by the EC, Arsène Heitz (1908–1989), one of the designers who had submitted proposals for the flag's design, suggested a religious inspiration for it. But he submitted too many designs. Against the background of blue sky, 12 golden stars form a circle, representing the union of the peoples of Europe. In Belarus, it was used on protest marches alongside the banned former national flag and flags of opposition movements during the protests of 2004–2006. Kalergi was very committed to defending the cross as "the great symbol of Europe's moral unity", the Red Cross in particular being "recognized by the whole world, by Christian and non-Christian nations[,] as a symbol of international charity and of the brotherhood of man",[30] but the proposal was rejected by Turkey (a member of the Council of Europe since 1949) on grounds of its religious associations[31] in spite of Kalergi's suggestion of adding a crescent alongside the cross to overcome the Muslim objections. Click here to add the EU Flag to your profile: https://app.profileoverlays.com/Simple/eu-flag-overlay Jump to He had circulated his flag round many European capitals and the concept had found favour. Mary & the EU Flag — Our Lady’s Crown. [failed verification][90], In Georgia, the flag has been on most government buildings since the coming to power of Mikheil Saakashvili (2007),[91] who used it during his inauguration,[92] stating: "[the European] flag is Georgia's flag as well, as far as it embodies our civilisation, our culture, the essence of our history and perspective, and our vision for the future of Georgia. Communism or socialism. [5] The Council of Europe urged that it be adopted by other European organisations, and in 1985 the European Communities (EC) adopted it. [28] 1. Originally designed in 1955 for the Council of Europe, the flag was adopted by the European Communities, the predecessors of the present European Union, in 1986. The combination of these [21] The base colour of the flag is defined as Pantone "Reflex Blue", while the golden stars are portrayed in Pantone "Yellow": The 2013 logo of the Council of Europe has the colours:[24], The twelve-star "flag of Europe" was designed in 1950 and officially adopted by the Council of Europe in 1955. Colors After 1996, the flag of Ethiopia was slightly modified and officially launched on 28th August 2009. To mark the 30th anniversary of the decision by EU leaders to adopt the flag as an EU emblem, the 19 euro area countries are issuing a special commemorative coin. It is also the colour traditionally used to represent the Virgin Mary. Burning of the EU flag has been reported from other anti-EU rallies since. Sky Blue: Symbol of peace and neutrality, as other colours were already used for other movements such as black for mourning, red for bolshevism, or green for Islam. The number will remaintwelve no matter how many countries there are in the European Union.”. Personally I don't like the flag at all, its dull and doesn't represent anything, I prefer this one at least it reflects the EU more: http://en.wikipedia. It fell out of use with the adoption of the twelve-star flag by the Parliament in 1983. A: The Flag of Europe consists of a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background. One was by Salvador de Madariaga, the founder of the College of Europe, who suggested a constellation of stars on a blue background[28] (positioned according to capital cities, with a large star for Strasbourg, the seat of the Council). Other reconstructions were made from descriptions in the documents and images provided by the European Council. One of the curators of the Strasbourg Museum and member of the Secretariat-General, Martin-Levy, proposed a white ground with a green cross bearing in the centre the coat-of-arms of the Town of Strasbourg. For a gallery of flags of countries in Europe, see, 1983–present: From European Communities to European Union. Strasbourg's Coat of Arms: To symbolize the official seat of the. [102], By the 2010s, the association of the emblem with the EU had become so strong that the Council of Europe saw it necessary to design a new logo, to "avoid confusion", officially adopted in 2013. European Union flag with white stars - Image by António Martins, 27 May 2006. The flag followed the yellow and blue colour scheme however instead of twelve stars there were the letters EP and PE (initials of the European Parliament in the six community languages at the time) surrounded by a wreath. The symbols proposed where the following[41]. Estonia sparks fury after REMOVING EU flags from parliament ‘symbolic meaning’ ESTONIA has been urged to replace European Union flags in its parliament after … November 1996, Flaggen-Verwaltungsanordnung (VwAoFlag) in der Fassung der Bekanntmachung vom 4. [29] These first proposals were made 19 January 1950 by Paul Levy in a letter to the Secretary-General. In most member states, use of the EU flag is only de facto and not regulated by legislation, and as such subject to ad hoc revision. [107], A number of logos used by EU institutions, bodies and agencies are derived from the design and colours of the EU emblem.[108]. [38], Shortly after this design considerations by Paul Levy, on 27 July 1950, Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi, president of the Pan-European movement wrote a memorandum which contained some rules that a flag for such union should follow. It comprises 12 stars that morph into human figures embracing the birth of a new Europe." Pantone recommendations for PMS 287: RGB #003087, CMYK 100.75.2.18 (. Shortly after the first direct elections in 1979 a draft resolution was put forward on the issue. The original logo of the European Broadcasting Union used the twelve stars on a blue background adding ray beams to connect the countries. This is the official European Union flag (EU) and the official Council of Europe flag (CoE). [17], An article posted in La Raison in February 2000 further connected the donation of a stained glass window for Strasbourg Cathedral by the Council of Europe on 21 October 1956. In an interview given 26 February 1998, Lévy denied not only awareness of the "Marian" connection, but also denied that the final design of a circle of twelve stars was Heitz's. It was never officially adopted by the EU or any organisation, but it was used as the logo of the Austrian EU Presidency in 2006.[79]. A similar design to Louis Wirion's flag proposal, but the cross is symmetrical. The rules he stated where:[39], After these statements, Coudenhove-Kalergi proposed that the Pan-European movement flag would be the perfect one to fit this criteria[40], 15 July 1951, the consultative assembly put forward a final memorandum on the European flag. At Countryflags.com you can find an overview of flags of all European Union countries. The "D" in this photo indicates Germany (Deutschland). [24], The EU emblem ("EU flag") is depicted on the euro banknotes. Ukraine is not a part of the EU but is a member of the Council of Europe. In 2017, president of France Emmanuel Macron signed a declaration endorsing the 2007 statement,[115] [72] Under the header of "strengthening of the Community's image and identity", the Committee suggested the introduction of "a flag and an emblem", recommending a design based on the Council of Europe flag, but with the addition of "a gold letter E" in the center of the circle of stars. Between the different hypotheses that would explain the origin and the meaning of the colors of the Neapolitan flag, three are the most accredited, even if they don't have a real historical foundation.. [3] Technically and officially, the "European flag" as used by the European Union remains not a "flag" but "a Community 'logo' — or 'emblem' — [...] eligible to be reproduced on rectangular pieces of fabric". He also proposed these two designs to have a blue background. The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. So the EU flag displaying a circle of 12 stars has a deeper meaning even than the crown of the Virgin Mary. The bigger star depicted. There was a proposal in 2003 to deface national civil ensigns with the EU emblem. All flags of European Union countries. This is the. This article is more than 1 year old. [126], The flag of the Brussels-Capital Region (introduced in 2016) consists of a yellow iris with a white outline upon a blue background. [34][better source needed] The Committee of Ministers (the Council's main decision making body) agreed with the Assembly that the flag should be a circle of stars, but opted for a fixed number of twelve stars, "representing perfection and entirety". [26] In 2007, the European Parliament officially adopted the flag for its own use. The Council of Europe gave the flag a symbolic description in the following terms,[8] though the official symbolic description adopted by the EU omits the reference to the "Western world":[9][10].mw-parser-output .templatequote{overflow:hidden;margin:1em 0;padding:0 40px}.mw-parser-output .templatequote .templatequotecite{line-height:1.5em;text-align:left;padding-left:1.6em;margin-top:0}. Fifteen golden five-pointed stars in a circle representing union, over a sky-blue background. The first one says that red and gold would be the symbol of the pagan cult of the sun and the moon. In an early instance, Macedonian protesters burned "the flag of the EU" in the context of EU involvement in the 2001 insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective and add more content related to non-recent events. The blue background of heaven, the display of 12 in a circle certainly does point to a Marian belief. The European Community adopt the same flag in 1986", Regarding The "Adonnino Report" – Report to the European Council by the ad hoc committee "On a People's Europe", A 10.04 COM 85, SN/2536/3/85, Central and Eastern Eurobarometer, Issue 8, Olympic Games 2004 – Congratulations from President Prodi, European Commission, 30 August 2004, "Election is landslide for leader of Belarus", "Comment – Georgia: Brussels on its mind", Cork group burns flag during anti-EU rally outside City Hall, "Embassy flagpole flies in the face of EU diplomacy", "Meeting of the EUROPEAN COUNCIL held on 19 October 2017", "Macron squares up to Eurosceptics on EU flag, Brexit", The Rules of Protocol regarding national holidays and the use of the Italian flag, FlaggAO (BGBl. This cross would consist of four "E"s backed on to a square. [104], It is also depicted on many driving licences and vehicle registration plates issued in the Union. An official board publicizing Portuguese State and European Union budgeting in some bus company investment, symbolized by the respective flags, shows the European Union flag … These contain promises from the EU and governments so that children can have a good life, in the EU and beyond. In the years that followed, it encouraged the emerging European institutions to adopt the same flag. [6], The blazon given by the EU in 1996 describe the design as: "On an azure field a circle of twelve golden mullets, their points not touching. Most of the documents sourced are from the Council of Europe webpage. I am telling you this, Father, because you are wearing the little blue cross of the Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima". CMYK: 0, 0.2, 1, 0. Blue signified loyalty, faith, honesty, and power Nonetheless, the precise meaning of the colors of the flag are: 1. Alwin Mondon, a cartographer of Bad Godesberg, proposed a white triangle, symbol of culture, on various fields. He claimed that the circle of stars was based on the iconographic tradition of showing the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Woman of the Apocalypse, wearing a "crown of twelve stars".[12][15]. [109], The flag is usually flown by the government of the country holding the rotating presidency Council of Ministers. I S. 1729) 13. [89] Similar uses were reported from Moldova. The official status of the emblem as the flag of the European Union was to be formalised as part of the Constitution of the European Union. "Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Austria, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and the Slovak Republic declare that the flag with a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background, the anthem based on the 'Ode to Joy' from the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, the motto 'United in diversity', the euro as the currency of the European Union and Europe Day on 9 May will for them continue as symbols to express the sense of community of the people in the European Union and their allegiance to it." The history of the flag goes back to 1955. [87], The flag has been widely used by advocates of European integration since the late 1990s or early 2000s. 52% of those interviewed gave one of the correct answers, 15% gave a wrong answer (naming another institution, such as NATO or the United Nations), and 35% could or would not identify it. [124] Sometime later, the Parliament chose to use a logo consisting of a stylised hemicycle and the EU flag at the bottom right. Dezember 2001, President of Hungarian parliament orders removal of EU flag, "EU flags disappear from Polish government press briefings", "Un nouveau look pour la région Bruxelles-capitale", "Gewest gaat voor nieuwe vlag met hartjeslogo", http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/53480.stm, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/sites/beta-political/files/euco-sibiu-towards_a_european_defence_union_0.pdf. The colours are regulated in the 1996 guide by the EC,[7] and equivalently in the 2004 guide by the Council of Europe. The diameter of each star is equal to one-ninth of the height of the hoist.[21]. The flag is used by the Cabinet of Ukraine, Prime Minister of Ukraine, and MFA UA during official meetings. The Spanish coat of arms consists of two crown-topped pillars of Hercules with red banners wrapped round them displaying the Latin words, "PLUS ULTRA," meaning "More Beyond," referring to Columbus' discovery of the New World. Probably Louis Wirion, who had already talked about reverting the colours in his first proposal. Yellow: Hope and love for the country 3. [28] The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on 25 October 1955 agreed to this. The cross is shifted slightly towards the hoist in the manner of, The Prince de Schwarzenberg proposed that the "first European symbol", the. H.C. proposed a horizontally-divided blue-red flag, the upper blue and the lower red. Following an online competition held in 2015 by the European Commission, citizens and residents of the euro area selected the design created by Georgios Stamatopoulos, an engraver at the Bank of Greece. The number of stars is fixed, 12 being the symbol of perfectionand unity. [116] In Germany, the federal flag code of 1996 is only concerned with the German flag,[117] but some of the states have legislated additional provisions for the European flag, such as Bavaria in its flag regulation of 2001, which mandates that the European flag take the third order of precedence, after the federal and state flags, except on Europe Day, where it is to take the first order of precedence.[118]. Emoji Meaning A castle, in a style that can be found in France and other parts of Europe. Take a look at the winning design. "However," explained Pro. It is also defaced with the initials of the former Western European Union in two languages.[123]. Q: Is there a Marian interpretation of the symbolism on the European Flag? We all know the flag of Europe is 12 stars on a blue background. Several EU publications related to the CSDP generally, and its prospective development as a defence arm, have also displayed the European emblem in this manner, albeit as a graphical design element rather than an official symbol. The flag was later used by the European Union when it was formed in 1993. The June 1984 European Council (the Communities' leaders) summit in Fontainebleau stressed the importance of promoting a European image and identity to citizens and the world. Copy and paste any flag emoji from this list and it will show on all supported platforms. European Union Flag. "[80], In reaction to the removal of the flag from the treaty, the European Parliament, which had supported the inclusion of such symbols, backed a proposal to use these symbols "more often" on behalf of the Parliament itself; Jo Leinen, MEP for Germany, suggested that the Parliament should take "an avant-garde role" in their use. They could be green on a white background, white stars on a red background, or silver stars for associate members, and golden stars for full members. ... the real meaning of this flag becomes apparent. It features a circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background. The European flag. Therefore, the dates shown are the oldest dates on which the flag was first recorded. [81][clarification needed], In September 2008, the Parliament's Committee on Constitutional Affairs proposed a formal change in the institution's rules of procedure to make "better use of the symbols". Numerous proposals were looked into. Green and White: These were the colours of the. This committee submitted a substantial report, including wide-ranging suggestions, from organising a "European lottery" to campaigning for the introduction of local voting rights for foreign nationals throughout Europe. Emoji Meaning The flag for European Union, which may show as the letters EU on some platforms. and in 2016 by the pro-EU faction in the EU membership referendum campaigns in the United Kingdom. The circle is a symbol of unity. Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. Poucher proposed a federal flag which was virtually the reverse of the flag of the United States of America, with blue bands and a red quarter in one corner. When a flag is present at country level, attention should be paid to consider if the same flag … Blue flag with a yellow eight-pointed star in a red circle. The countries of the European Union can be sorted alphabetically on the name of the country, but also on population and size of the country. [27][contradictory], The Council of Europe in 1950 appointed a committee to study the question of adopting a symbol. The Marian aspect of the European flag being a "secret" to ensure its approbation. The council put forward this proposal, which had a green flag with a white and red Star of Liberation, and the Strasbourg coat of arms on the upper left-hand corner. Outside the EU, it was used in the context of several of the "colour revolutions" during the 2000s. It consists of a government minister from each member state and meets in different compositions depending on the policy area being addressed. Following an online competition held in 2015 by the European Commission, citizens and residents of the euro area selected the design created by Georgios Stamatopoulos, an engraver at the Bank of Greece. Flag of Europe at large created by the Council of Europe, then adopted as one of the official symbols of the European Communities and later of the European Union, "European flag" redirects here. The countries of the European Union can be sorted alphabetically on the name of the country, but also on population and size of the country. Firstly, the cross symbolizes roads crossing, and also represents the east, the west, the north, and the south with its arms. The flag became a symbol of European integration of Ukraine in the 2010s, particularly after Euromaidan. It was designed by Arsène Heitz and Paul M. G. Lévy in 1955 and adopted on 8 December of that year. appeared in the case of the Cross of Burgundy, emblem of the, Following Expo 58 in Brussels, the flag caught on and the Council of Europe lobbied for other European organisations to adopt the flag as a sign of European unity. It is also often used to indicate eurozone countries. [4] It consists of a circle of twelve five-pointed golden stars on a blue field. He proposed that the flag should contain a cross for several reasons. [83], In 2015, a set of commemorative Euro coin was issued on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the emblem by the European Communities. The same flag was adopted by the European Parliament in 1983. The star in a circle was in 1944-5 the insignia of the armies of Liberation. Each flag has a description and it is also indicated which colours are used and what the original proportion of the flag is. It is often displayed in the context of Europe Day, on 9 May. Moreover, the cross depicted Christianity.