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Perhaps the most famous symbol of the European Union (EU) is celebrating its 40th anniversary. However, it was first used in 1955. Despite the fact that the number of states in the EU has increased over the years, the stars on the flag have remained unchanged.

Blue and 12 gold stars, this is the globally recognizable flag of the European Union . It flies on the buildings of institutions, appears on Erasmus certificates and EU-supported projects. Over the years, it has become one of the most famous symbols of European integration. Despite its easy recognition, it hides the history and values of the EU.

Although it might seem that the stars on the flag symbolize the number of member countries, in fact their number has nothing to do with membership. The twelve stars arranged in a circle, like a clock, represent the ideals of unity, solidarity and harmony between the countries of the European Union. Their circular arrangement also refers to their unity. The blue background of the flag represents the color of the western sky and, together with the gold stars, refers to clarity, stability and peace.

Illustrative image. Mauro Bottaro / © EU, 2019 – EC Audiovisual Service

However, her visual has been known for 70 years.

The history of the flag began on 8 December 1955, when the Council of Europe adopted it as its official emblem. It arose from the need to give Europe a symbol with which its citizens could identify after the Second World War. The Council therefore chose a design that best reflected neutrality, timelessness and simplicity.

Later, the European Parliament , on 11 April 1983, proposed that the chosen flag be adopted by the European Economic Community (EEC), the predecessor of the EU. However, it was not officially adopted as a logo by the European Council until 28-29 June 1985. It was therefore first raised a year later in front of the Berlaymon building in Brussels, where the European Commission is based.

In addition to history, a bit of mathematics

If we look at the emblem geometrically , it also has the form of a rectangle, where its length is one and a half times the length of the height. The stars are placed in an imaginary circle at equal intervals and their center is the point of intersection of the diagonals of the rectangle. These are the five points of the star, which form a circle with a radius of one-eighteenth of the height of the flag.

At the same time, the stars are arranged like a clock face, in a regular circle. Each of them is oriented vertically, meaning that its top point points straight up and the two bottom points form a line that is perpendicular to the flagpole.

European flag emblem. Source: EC – Audiovisual Service / © EU

It’s not just about flags on buildings

We see the blue flag with gold stars every day. In addition to being found on several buildings, it is also in the logos of EU institutions, such as the European Commission, the Council of Europe and the European Parliament. It must also be used to mark projects or events funded by the EU. Since 1 January 2002, the flag, as a symbol of European identity, has also appeared on euro banknotes and coins.

Winning design for the 2015 commemorative coin. Source: EC – DG ECFIN, 2017

The flag also celebrated its 30th anniversary by unveiling a commemorative euro coin , issued by 19 eurozone countries. The design for the coin was chosen by EU citizens in an online competition organised by the European Commission. This was only the fourth agreement in which countries had jointly issued a commemorative coin. Eurozone mints submitted 62 designs, of which a jury of experts selected five. The winning design was by Georgios Stamatopoulos of the Bank of Greece, who received 30 percent of the online vote. The design of the coin was again 12 stars that transform into human figures. They refer to the birth of a new Europe.

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