It has been in wide official use by the EC since the 1990s, but it has never been given official status in any of the EU's treaties. We all know the flag of Europe is 12 stars on a blue background. In 1987, Heitz would claim that his inspiration had been the crown of twelve stars of the Woman of the Apocalypse, often found in Marian iconography (see below). Its colours are based on the colours of the Flag of Europe, because Brussels is considered the unofficial capital of the EU. Furthermore, several colours were also proposed: In the end, the flag of Europe was chosen to have 12 five-pointed golden stars in a circle over a blue background, probably inspired by the Pan-European flag and other designs such as Salvador de Madriaga's and Arsène Heitz's proposals. Well, 'the cracks are starting to show' is a straight forward and pretty accurate analogy to throw in here (Theresa May's fall out over in Brussels last week comes to mind). The flag of Europe or the European flag[note 1] is an official symbol used by two separate organisations — the Council of Europe (CoE) and the European Union (EU) — as a symbol representing Europe. [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]. The stars of the flag “stand for the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe”, according to the EU website. 2 talking about this. EU Council President Charles Michel paid tribute to Daphne Caruana Galizia on Thursday, placing a plant at the site where she was killed by a car bomb in Bidnija in 2017. The number will remaintwelve no matter how many countries there are in the European Union.”. Most of the documents sourced are from the Council of Europe webpage. Ukraine is not a part of the EU but is a member of the Council of Europe. The EU flag "is a shared flag, blue with 12 gold stars symbolizing completeness. Of course, the EU is the New Roman Empire, ruled the anti-christ (Pope), and the evidence (apart from the supposed meaning of the flag) is that it's founding treaty is the Treaty of Rome, the absence of God in the draft Constitution, the rapid secularisation in European societies, and of course the Vatican (also in Rome) deciding to adopt the euro. ", Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Learn how and when to remove this template message, 2001 insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia, Flag of the European Coal and Steel Community, Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, European Fisheries Control Agency#Pennant, Centre virtuel de la connaissance sur l'Europe, Guide graphique relatif à l'emblème européen, "Guide graphique relatif à l'emblème européen", "Graphical specifications for the European Emblem", "European Union Flag : University of Dayton, Ohio", "Armorial des prélats Français du XIXème siècle", "Der Sternenkranz ist die Folge eines Gelübdes", Council of Europe's new visual identity- Guide, Official Journal of the European Union, 2007 C 306–2, p. 267, "EU Parliament set to use European flag, anthem", "No prolonged mandate for Barroso, MEPs warn", Letter to the secretary general of the Council of Europe from Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi, Letter from Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi regarding a Muslim modification to the Pan-Europa flag design, "Memorandum from Paul Levy to Jacques-Camille Paris (Secretary General) about having a cross on the European flag", "Memorandum from Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi on the European flag (Gstaad, 27 July 1950)", "Memorandumpresented to the Council of Europe by Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi", "Memorandum of the Secretariat General on the European Flag", "Sketch of a flag for the United States of Europe ("Union Stati Europa")", "Proposal by Camille Manné (Founder of the SICOP printing firm, Bischheim, Alsace, France)", "Flag showing the design by Camille Manet (Founder of the SICOP printing firm, Bischheim, Alsace, France)", "Proposals for flags submitted to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe (December 1951)", "Memorandum from Paul Levy to Antoine Fischer (Saisons d'Alsace?) Alwin Mondon, a cartographer of Bad Godesberg, proposed a white triangle, symbol of culture, on various fields. [130], Chairman Michail Kostarakos wearing the heraldic badge, Moldovan and Ukrainian flags displayed as supporters, symbolising the EU's border assistance mission since 2005, The European emblem emblazoned on a chair at the occasion of the 2004 signing of the European Constitution in Rome, The European emblem emblazoned on the Eiffel Tower in 2008, The European emblem emblazoned on the carpet in the European Court of Human Rights, Arms of the European Air Transport Command, Arms of the European Union Military Committee, Arms of the European Union Military Staff. It was created in 1955 and adopted by the European Union, then the European Economic Community, in … The coat of arms of the Chairman of the European Union Military Committee (CEUMC), the highest-ranking officer within the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), depicts the European emblem as a coat of arms, i.e. 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. The symbols proposed where the following[41]. The history of the flag goes back to 1955. This cross would consist of four "E"s backed on to a square. Responses considered correct were: the European Union, the European Community, the Common Market, and "Europe in general". A cross: Symbol of Christianity, Europe's crossroads, reminiscent of. Red symbolized military strength, martyrdom, and warriorhood 3. "[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. The European flag. Each member state, when using the flag, could insert their coat of arms in the heart of the cross. (. He had circulated his flag round many European capitals and the concept had found favour. The flag of Europe or the European flag is an official symbol used by two separate organisations — the Council of Europe (CoE) and the European Union (EU) — as a symbol representing Europe. [122][citation needed], The design of the European flag has been used in a variation, such as that of the Council of Europe mentioned above, and also to a greater extent such as the flag of the Western European Union (WEU; now defunct), which uses the same colours and the stars but has a number of stars based on membership and in a semicircle rather than a circle. I S. 1729) 13. [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. [110], Extraordinary flying of the flag is common on Europe Day, celebrated annually on 9 May. It comprises 12 stars that morph into human figures embracing the birth of a new Europe. [127][128], The blue and yellow colours of the Brussels flag are those of the European Union, of which Brussels is the de facto capital city. 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]. He proposes a red cross on a green background, inspired by Charlemagne's standard", "Extract of a letter from George Coedes on the Turks and the cross", "Letter from Paul Levy to Salvador de Madariaga on Turkish opposition to a cross", "Letter from Paul Levy to Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi on Turkish opposition to a cross", "Letter from Paul Levy to Richard Coudenhove-Kalergi. The design was conceived in 1955, and officially adopted later that year by the Council of Europe as a symbol for the whole of Europe. [105] Diplomatic missions of EU member states fly the EU flag alongside their national flag. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km 2 (1,634,469.0 sq mi) and an estimated total population of about 447 million. [124] Sometime later, the Parliament chose to use a logo consisting of a stylised hemicycle and the EU flag at the bottom right. Take a look at the winning design. In particular, Arsène Heitz himself, in 1987, laid claim to his own role in designing the flag and to its religious inspiration when he said that 'the flag of Europe is the flag of Our Lady' [Magnificat magazine, 1987]. The stars of the flag “stand for the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony among the peoples of Europe”, according to the EU website. In November 2014, the speaker of the Hungarian Parliament László Kövér ordered the removal of the EU flag from the parliament building, following an incident in which a member of parliament had "defenestrated" two EU flags from a fourth story window. [15], Carlo Curti Gialdino (2005) has reconstructed the design process to the effect that Heitz's proposal contained varying numbers of stars, from which the version with twelve stars was chosen by the Committee of Ministers meeting at Deputy level in January 1955 as one out of two remaining candidate designs. Outside official use, the flag may not be used for "aims incompatible with European values". [125], Likewise, Kosovo uses blue, yellow and stars in its flag, which has been mocked as a "none too subtle nod to the flag of the European Union, which is about to become Kosovo's new best friend as it takes over protector status from the United Nations". Flag of Europe - The flag and emblem of the Council of Europe and the European Union. In heraldic terms, the European flag is the banner of arms, i.e. This is the official European Union flag (EU) and the official Council of Europe flag (CoE). [24], The EU emblem ("EU flag") is depicted on the euro banknotes. Other symbolic interpretations have been offered based on the account of its design by Paul M. Levy. They show circles of yellow five-pointed stars on a blue field. Use of the flag has also been reported as representing the European team at the Ryder Cup golf competition in the early 2000s, although most European participants preferred to use their own national flags. The 1996 guideline does not include any recommendation for RGB values. The diameter of each star is equal to one-ninth of the height of the hoist.[21]. Sixteen out of twenty-seven member states in 2007 signed the declaration recognising "the flag with a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background" as representing "the sense of community of the people in the European Union and their allegiance to it. This is the most similar flag to the current one, with 12 stars instead of 15, and a star in the middle to probably represent, Blue field with a five-pointed 12-star circle, Union flag representing the EU (27 members). Communism or socialism. 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). The European Union flag’s designer, Arsène Heitz, has acknowledged that the Book of Revelation (where the twelve-star halo of the Queen of Heaven was first mentioned) helped to inspire him.. This is because it originally was the flag of the Council of Europe, and does not have a relationship with the EU. [106] Some member states' national airlines such as Lufthansa have the EU flag alongside their national flags on aircraft as part of their aircraft registration codes, but this is not an EU-mandated directive. The European Union flag’s designer, Arsène Heitz, has acknowledged that the Book of Revelation (where the twelve-star halo of the Queen of Heaven was first mentioned) helped to inspire him.. Green: Development of the country, the fertility of the land and labor 2. The bigger star depicted. This is the. However, as the proposed constitution failed ratification, the mention of all state-like emblems, including the flag, were removed from the replacement Treaty of Lisbon of 2007. 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. Copy and paste any flag emoji from this list and it will show on all supported platforms. Rome, 7 December (Zenit) - December 8 is a very special day for Europe: in 1955, on that day, the European Ministers' delegates officially adopted the European flag designed by Arsene Heitz, who today is an octogenarian artist in Strasbourg. What might this mean? In national usage, national protocol usually[clarification needed] demands the national flag takes precedence over the European flag (which is usually displayed to the right of the national flag from the observer's perspective). But he submitted too many designs. The European flag symbolises both the European Union and, more broadly, the identity and unity of Europe. 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. A: The Flag of Europe consists of a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background. It consists of a circle of twelve five-pointed golden stars on a blue field. 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. [107], A number of logos used by EU institutions, bodies and agencies are derived from the design and colours of the EU emblem.[108]. [18] The overall design of the Madonna is inspired by the banner of the cathedral's Congrégation Mariale des Hommes, and the twelve stars are found on the statue venerated by this congregation inside the cathedral (twelve is also the number of members of the congregation's council). Red: strength, and the bloodshed for freedom Aside from the precise meaning, there are various other interpretations of the flag. The chevron also has the colours of Strasbourg. The five-pointed star is used on many national flags and represents aspiration and education. The Marian aspect of the European flag being a "secret" to ensure its approbation. In response, Greenpeace projected an image of the flag onto the castle and attempted to fly the flag from the building themselves. The number will remain 12 no matter how many countries there are in the European Union" (quote from a leaflet "Building Europe Together"). An illustration of the myth Coincidences of European Flag Designer Inspired by Virgin's Image in Paris' Rue du Bac. The first one says that red and gold would be the symbol of the pagan cult of the sun and the moon. Q: Is there a Marian interpretation of the symbolism on the European Flag? ... the real meaning of this flag becomes apparent. In the 2005 Islamic protests "[7], The flag used is the Flag of Europe, which consists of a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background. Click here to add the EU Flag to your profile: https://app.profileoverlays.com/Simple/eu-flag-overlay Jump to Multiple stars: Each star could represent a member. Other emblems make reference to the European flag, such as the EU organic food label that uses the twelve stars but reorders them into the shape of a leaf on a green background. [121] In November 2015, the newly elected Polish government under Beata Szydło removed the EU flag from government press conferences. Alan Bairner, "Order for European Union Events The European Union Flag: The national flags in order of their name in their primary local language. Burning of the EU flag has been reported from other anti-EU rallies since. Probably Louis Wirion, who had already talked about reverting the colours in his first proposal. In many paintings of the Virgin Mary as Stella Maris she is crowned with a circle of twelve stars. Specifically, the flag would be present in all meeting rooms (not just the hemicycle) and at all official events. But it also refers to the Zodiac and the Council of Light. Pan-Slavism or slavic inheritance (along with the blue and white color). The 2000 Italian flag code expressly replaces the Italian flag with the European flag in precedence when dignitaries from other EU countries visit – for example the EU flag would be in the middle of a group of three flags rather than the Italian flag. Instead, a separate declaration by sixteen Member States was included in the final act of the Treaty of Lisbon stating that the flag, the anthem, the motto and the currency and Europe Day "will for them continue as symbols to express the sense of community of the people in the European Union and their allegiance to it. [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". The Council of Europe - which defends human rights and promotes European culture – chose the present design for its own use. Their golden colour is that of the sun, which is said to symbolise glory and enlightenment. However he agreed that the white ground should be left with a green cross provided the Strasbourg coat of arms at the centre was only used for the pennants of Council personages and flags flown on Council buildings, and omitted in all other cases. In addition, all European institutions now have their own emblems. If there’s one thing I learned from those Autoglass repair … European Union Flag. This page was last edited on 21 March 2021, at 11:53. [77], In 1997, the "Central and Eastern Eurobarometer" poll included a section intending to "discover the level of public awareness of the European Union" in what were then candidate countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Against the background of blue sky, 12 golden stars form a circle, representing the union of the peoples of Europe. As far as the colours are concerned, he proposed them to be white and green, colours of the European Movement, which was of great significance since 1947. [37] Officially adopted on 8 December 1955, the flag was unveiled at the Château de la Muette in Paris on 13 December 1955. It fell out of use with the adoption of the twelve-star flag by the Parliament in 1983. Meaning EU European Union (if used as an aggregate it should comprise all Member States at the time to which the data refers) In French tables/graphs, the term ‘Union Européenne’ should also be abbreviated by ‘EU’. Finally, Levy proposed that the arms of Strasbourg was an important element to be added as it represented where the council would be, and being located in the heart of the cross meant that the council was the point where the European roads met. The flag of Europe has 12 yellow (gold) stars in a circle placed on a blue field. [20], According to graphical specifications published online by the Council of Europe in 2004, the flag is rectangular with 2:3 proportions: its fly (width) is one and a half times the length of its hoist (height). Meaning of the flag of Armenia: Red symbolizes the blood spilt by Armenian soldiers in war, maintenance of the Christian faith, Armenia’s independence and freedom; blue represents the will of the people of Armenia to live in peaceful skies; orange stands for the creative talent and hard working nature of the people of this country. All flags of European Union countries. [82] The proposal was passed on 8 October 2008 by 503 votes to 96 (15 abstentions). The combination of these All the stars are upright (one point straight up), have five points and are spaced equally, like the hour positions on the face of a clock. [11], Their arrangement in a circle represents the constellation of Corona Borealis and can be seen as a crown and the stability of government. António Martins, 27 May 2006. 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. But also, maybe the fact that leaving the EU isn’t just going mean one less star on the flag and a clean cut Britain-shaped hole in the map of Europe. It consists of a government minister from each member state and meets in different compositions depending on the policy area being addressed. Officially, the colors mean: 1. [78], In 2002, Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas designed a new flag, dubbed the "barcode", as it displayed the colours of the national flags of the EU member states in vertical stripes. "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." Two well known symbols form the basis of the EU Organic Logo: The European flag – official symbol of the European Union since 1986 – and a leaf that is used in a variety of shapes to symbolise nature and sustainability. Final Act, "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. But why 12? Arsène Heitz proposed a green flag, colour of, Salvador de Madariaga chose to depict each capital of the member states at that time with a star. It should be a symbol of our common civilisation. It features a circle of 12 gold stars on a blue background. He proposes a red cross", "European Flag: Memorandum by the Secretariat-General", "Proposals for European flags from Arsène Heitz (1952–1955)", "Salvador de Madariaga proposes a design for the European flag", "Letter from Arsène Heitz to F. Caracciolo (Clerk of the Assembly). The EU uses the emblem in a number of ways, here on vehicle registration plates. Blue signified loyalty, faith, honesty, and power Nonetheless, the precise meaning of the colors of the flag are: 1. White represents peace and honesty 2. so that, as of 2018, 17 out of 27 members have recognised the emblem as a flag representing "allegiance to the EU": It is also defaced with the initials of the former Western European Union in two languages.[123]. The flag has also been adopted as a symbol for EU policies and expansionism by EU-sceptics. 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. Mary & the EU Flag — Our Lady’s Crown. These first proposals were made 19 January 1950 by Paul Levy in a letter to the Secretary-General. 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. [12], On 25 September 1953, the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe recommended that a blue flag with fifteen gold stars be adopted as an emblem for the organisation, the number fifteen reflecting the number of states of the Council of Europe. Emoji Meaning A castle, in a style that can be found in France and other parts of Europe. It was designed by Arsène Heitz and Paul M. G. Lévy in 1955 and adopted on 8 December of that year. [85], Following the 2004 Summer Olympics, President Romano Prodi expressed his hope "to see the EU Member State teams in Beijing [viz., the 2008 games] carry the flag of the European Union alongside their own national flag as a symbol of our unity". The same flag was adopted by the European Parliament in 1983. Green and White: These were the colours of the. The struggle for independence, specifically the bloodshed caused for it. Arsène Heitz, who was an employee in the mail service, put in all sorts of proposals, including the 15-star design. Heitz also made a connection to the date of the flag's adoption, 8 December 1955, coinciding with the Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The two columns are on either side of a shield of 4 quarters - a castle, a lion with a crown, red and yellow vertical stripes, chain mail, with three fleurs-de-lis in an oval in the center. [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. Lévy replied: I did, and I calculated the proportions to be used for the geometric design. [32], Other proposals included the flag was the European Movement, which had a large green E on a white background,[33] Furthermore, some reconstructions were assisted by images of the flag sketches stored in the Digital Research in European Studies. The design was a blue field with a red cross inside an orange circle at the centre. 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]. The colours are regulated in the 1996 guide by the EC,[7] and equivalently in the 2004 guide by the Council of Europe. A green standard, colour of Charlemagne's standard, with a red cross fimbriated with gold. It is also often used to indicate eurozone countries. Blue represents vigilance, justice, loyalty, and perseverance Shape The flag has a width to length ratio of 3:5. Paul M. G. Lévy drew up the exact design of the new flag. The flag became a symbol of European integration of Ukraine in the 2010s, particularly after Euromaidan. 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. Video: The Ridiculous Meaning of Europe's Flag, Explained The European flag consists of a simple blue background with 12 gold stars arranged in a circle… The red color of the flags symbolizes: Blood. 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. Council of Europe historical files on the flag, EU's graphical specifications for the flag, The symbols of the European Union: The flag of the Council Europe, Memorandum on design and designer of European flag, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flag_of_Europe&oldid=1013395384, Articles with French-language sources (fr), Wikipedia articles needing clarification from May 2018, Wikipedia pages move-protected due to vandalism, Self-contradictory articles from May 2018, Articles lacking reliable references from March 2018, Articles slanted towards recent events from August 2019, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from January 2017, Articles with failed verification from April 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The star in a circle was in 1944-5 the insignia of the armies of Liberation. So the EU flag displaying a circle of 12 stars has a deeper meaning even than the crown of the Virgin Mary. 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. In 1983, the European Parliament decided that the Communities’ flag should be that used by the Council of Europe. [5] The Council of Europe urged that it be adopted by other European organisations, and in 1985 the European Communities (EC) adopted it. [73] The European Council held in Milan on 28/29 June 1985 largely followed the recommendations of the Adonnino Committee. [15], Lévy's 1998 interview apparently gave rise to a new variant of the "Marian" anecdote. 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}. Give feedback about this website or report a problem, Institutions, bodies & agencies – contact & visit details, Public contracts in the EU – rules and guidelines, Graphics guide to the European flag (emblem), Beneficiaries of EU funding should use the European emblem (flag) and not the logo of any of the European Institutions or bodies, Using the EU emblem - organisations & people outside the EU institutions, Emblems of all European institutions and bodies, Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), The European Data Protection Board (EDPB).