European Union flag (Flag of Europe)

Overview

The image shows the Flag of Europe — commonly called the European Union flag: a circle of twelve golden five-pointed stars on a blue field. The flag is an official emblem adopted by the Council of Europe in 1955 and later adopted for use by the European Communities / European Union in the mid-1980s.

Origin and symbolism

The design was proposed by Arsène Heitz and finalised with contributions by Paul M. G. Lévy; the Council of Europe adopted the twelve-star circle as its emblem in 1955. The number twelve was chosen as a symbol of completeness and perfection rather than to represent a fixed number of states. The EU formally began using the emblem in the 1980s, and it has since become the recognised visual symbol of European unity, solidarity and harmony among peoples of Europe.

Manufacturing and distribution

The flag itself is not a proprietary consumer product; physical flags are produced commercially by textile and flag manufacturers around the world. There is no single country of manufacture: production takes place in multiple countries depending on suppliers and procurement (hence "Multiple countries"). Official flags used by Council of Europe or EU institutions are procured through their institutional supply channels, but consumer flags are widely manufactured and sold internationally.

Ownership and management

The emblem is managed and protected by the Council of Europe (headquartered in Strasbourg, France). Although it is not a "brand" in the commercial sense, the Council of Europe retains authority over the emblem’s official use and graphical specifications; the European Union uses the same symbol under inter-institutional arrangements. There is no corporate owner or barcode associated with the emblem.