| A Guide to the European Union
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the number of stars on the European flag represent the Member States?
The number of stars on the European Flag has always remained the same, ie 12. It was adopted by the European Community in 1986. This same flag had been used to represent "Europe" by a different organisation, the Council of Europe since 1956. In 1946, the Council of Europe established a committee to discuss the issue of a "european" emblem. Many different proposals were discussed but the final result was the flag you see today. 12 gold stars on a blue background. The 12 stars were chosed as twelve is the symbol of perfection; there were 12 apostles, 12 hours in the day, 12 hours in the night, 12 months of the year, 12 signs of the zodiac. The colours blue and gold were the original colours of the Count Richard Coudenhove Kalergi who first proposed a Pan European Union in 1923. See also emblems of the European Union.
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Is there a European Anthem?
Yes. This is the anthem not only of the European Union but also of Europe in a wider sense. The melody comes from the Ninth Symphony composed in 1823 by Ludwig Van Beethoven.
For the final movement of this symphony, Beethoven set to music the "Ode to Joy" written in 1785 by Friedrich von Schiller. This poem expresses Schiller's idealistic vision of the human race becoming brothers - a vision Beethoven shared.
In 1972, the Council of Europe (the same body that designed the European flag) adopted Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" theme as its own anthem. The well-known conductor Herbert Von Karajan was asked to write three instrumental arrangements - for solo piano, for wind instruments and for symphony orchestra. Without words, in the universal language of music, this anthem expresses the ideals of freedom, peace and solidarity for which Europe stands.
In 1985, it was adopted by EU heads of State and government as the official anthem of the European Union. It is not intended to replace the national anthems of the Member States but rather to celebrate the values they all share and their unity in diversity.
Roll your mouse over the image to hear the European Anthem
The performance you can hear is by the European Union Youth Wind Orchestra conducted by André Reichling. It was recorded in 1994 at the Teatro da Trindade, Lisbon. Musical arrangement: Herbert von Karajan.
High-quality recording (MP3, 849 KB)
Compressed recording (MP3, 66 KB)
The European Commission thanks everyone involved in making this recording.
All rights of the producer and owner of the work reproduced reserved.
Does the EU have a "National Day"?
Yes. The 9th May is celebrated within the European Union as "Schuman Day" or "Europe Day" as it is more commonly known. On 9th May 1950, Robert Schuman (French Minister for Foreign Affairs) made a speech on behalf of the French Government to propose the pooling of French and German coal and steel industries under a joint European Institution. It was this suggested that led to the birth of the first European Community Institution, the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) and eventually to the European Community itself click here for more information on Europe Day.
What are the National Days of the EU member states"?
| Lithuania |
16 February |
| Estonia |
24 February |
| Ireland |
17 March |
| Greece |
25 March |
| Denmark |
16 April |
| Netherlands |
30 April |
| Poland |
3 May |
| Italy |
2 June |
| Sweden |
6 June |
| Portugal |
10 June |
| Luxembourg |
23 June |
| Slovenia |
25 June |
| France |
14 July |
| Belgium |
21 July |
| Hungary |
20 August |
| Slovakia |
1 September |
| Malta |
21 September |
| Cyprus |
1 October |
| Germany |
3 October |
| Spain |
12 October |
| Austria |
26 October |
| Czech Republic |
28 October |
| Latvia |
18 November |
| Finland |
6 December |
Is there a Single European Currency?
Yes. The 'euro' is the single currency of the European Union. Not all Member States, however, decided to join the single currency. 11 Member States adopted the euro in 1/1/99. They are: France, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Finland, Austria. Greece joined in December 2000. Sweden, Denmark and the UK have all decided not to join the euro for the time being. Euro coins and banknotes have been in use in the EU as from 1 January 2002. Coins and banknotes in the national currencies of the euro area countries were be withdrawn during the first two months of 2002. For more information see: the euro
For information on the history of the European Union please see:-
http://europa.eu/abc/history/index_en.htm
Please also see (Frequently Asked Questions - Europa website)
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