There flag of the European Union is made up of a circle of 12 five-pointed golden stars on one blue background. We often see it towering over institutional buildings in Brussels in the headquarters of the European institutions. The circle represents the ideal of unity and completeness of the organization while the number 12, contrary to what one might think, does not refer to the member countries or the founding countries. 12 is in fact the number considered of the fullness and totality: 12 are the apostles, 12 were the labors of Heracles, 12 are the months of the year. The number 12 therefore represents the symbol of the ideals of solidarity and unity between the various member countries of the European Union.
History of the flag of the European Union
The origin of the European flag dates back to Council of European international organization based in Strasbourg, founded in 1949which deals with defense of human rights and the promotion ofEuropean cultural identity. It was the Council of Europe, in fact, in 1955 to choose the current flag of the European Union as its flag. Initially there were two proposals: one formed by a circle of 12 golden stars on a blue background, proposed by the French Harséne Heitz and the second made up of one constellation of starsagain on a blue background, proposed by the Spanish diplomat Salvador de Madariaga. The first version was the one that won and in 1983 was proposed by decree of European Parliament as the official symbol of the then European Community. The European Council approved the European Parliament’s proposal in June 1985 and the flag was officially introduced and used in 1986. Since that moment the flag has become the symbol of the European Union and each institution has decided to adopt its own emblem which keeps the flag as a background.
The choice of the number 12 on the flag: the meaning of the number
The twelve it is a number associated with the idea of completeness, completeness and totality. Since ancient times, twelve was considered a perfect number: twelve are i signs of the zodiactwelve i months of the year handed down by the Babylonians, according to the lunar cycles, and for the ancient Greeks twelve were the Olympian gods. Twelve is the number of hours in which it is marked the clock and twelve are the hours when the Sun is at the Zenith. Twelve were the Knights of the Round Table and twelve also apostlestwelve seconds Kant they were the categories of the intellect. From a mathematical point of view, twelve is a “special” number also because adding 12 times 30 degrees gives 360 degrees of the circumference and therefore a symbol of completeness.
Blue in the European flag: symbol of calm and unity
«Against the blue background of the sky of the Western World, the stars represent the peoples of Europe in a circle, a symbol of unity, just as the twelve signs of the zodiac represent the entire universe, the twelve gold stars represent all the peoples of Europe – including those who cannot yet participate in building Europe in unity and peace». This was the Declaration of 9 December 1955 of the Council of Europe, in Paris, for the adoption of the flag. In symbolism, the blue color represents the color of calm, of balance and tranquility. In the case of the European Union flag, blue represents the blue of the Western sky, contrasted with the clearer sky of the Levant countries.
Use of the European Union flag
As well as outside the buildings of the European institutionsthe EU flag is also displayed during official and institutional meetings. During those with i Non-member countries of the European Union, the EU flag is usually displayed together with the national flag.
Regarding the display of flags some member countries have their own rules: in Italy the EU flag is displayed together with the Italian national flag outside institutional and government buildings such as constitutional bodies, ministries, judicial offices, regional, provincial and municipal buildings, schools and universities. Furthermore, they must be displayed in courtrooms of judicial bodies of all levels.
Typically the European Union flag is placed to the left of the national flag (on the right according to the viewer’s point of view). In case of state headquarters therefore the order – from the point of view of the observer – will be: Italian national flag, European Union flag. In case of locations municipal, provincial or regional the order – again from the point of view of the observer – will instead be different: flag of the European Union, Italian national flag, flag of the Municipality/Province/Region.
