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The Council Of Europe (COE) has developed a series of European symbols for the continent of Europe , and these have since been shared with the European Union (EU). They are intended both as symbols of the organisations themselves, and as a focus for a form of Pan-European Identity . Later, the EU has created further symbols for itself. FLAG See Also: European flag The Flag of Europe is twelve golden stars (pointing upwards) in a circle on a blue background. Although the flag is most commonly associated with the European Union, it was initially used by the Council of Europe in 1955 , and is considered to represent Europe as a whole as opposed to any particular organisation such as the EU or the COE. The flag was adopted in 1985 by all EU heads of State and government as the official emblem of the European Union and, since the beginning of 1986, it is used by all European institutions. The Council Of Europe — which does not have an organic link with the European Union — owns the Intellectual Property of the European flag. The flag has also given Europe its " National Colours " of blue and gold (yellow) . PRESIDENCY INSIGNIA .]] Every Presidency Of The Council Of The European Union has its own logo and visual expression. These sets of colours and designs follow the politics of the EU as a whole for the six months length of the presidencies. The EU has no official ''coat-of-arms'', and in a sense the presidency logos fills the 'symbol deficit' of the Union. It is always commented in the media when launched. The Portuguese 2007 presidency logo is called "the flowerflag", highlighted in the colours of the flags of the member states in Presidency video idents. INSTITUTIONAL EMBLEMS Every institution, body and agency of the EU has an individual symbol: Institutions and bodies Interinstitutional services and agencies (decentralised organisations) ANTHEM See Also: European anthem The European anthem is based on the the prelude to "The Ode to Joy", 4th movement of Ludwig van Beethoven's 9th Symphony . Due to the large number of languages in Europe, it is an instrumental version only with the original German lyrics having no official status. The anthem was announced on 19 January 1972 by the Council of Europe after being arranged by conductor Herbert Von Karajan . The anthem was launched via a major information campaign on Europe Day, 5 May 1972 and formally adopted by European Community leaders in 1985. It does not replace national anthems, but is intended to celebrate their shared values. {Link without Title} . It is played on official occasions by both the Council of Europe and the European Union. EUROPE DAY The Council of Europe has celebrated its founding on 5 May , 1949 as "Europe Day" since 1964 . What is now the European Union adopted 9 May as "Europe Day" at the Milan summit in 1985 , to celebrate that Robert Schuman presented his proposal on the creation of an organised Europe, indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations, on 9 May , 1950 . This proposal, known as the '' Schuman Declaration '', is considered by many to be the beginning of the creation of what is now the European Union. 9 May is now the more commonly observed date, though some Europeans still prefer 5 May , since the Council of Europe was designed to defend Human Rights , parliamentary Democracy and the Rule Of Law , while the Schuman speech was simply proposing a sharing of French and German Coal and Steel . Incidentally, May 9 is also celebrated in many former Soviet Union countries as Victory Day , the end of World War II . This is celebrated on May 8 in most Western European countries, but is celebrated on May 5 in Denmark and the Netherlands. MOTTO An EU motto, ''In varietate concordia'' (, Nicole Fontaine . The modified version, ''United in diversity'', has been written into the English-language version of the currently stalled Constitution For Europe , and now appears on official EU websites. See www.eurominority.org for the motto in many languages not listed below. Interestingly, the proposed change would make the motto essentially the same as the , an extinct Khoisan Language . "'' Bhinneka Tunggal Ika ''", translated as "Unity in Diversity", is also the national motto of Indonesia . It is also similar to "'' E Pluribus Unum ''" (Latin for "out of many, one"), one of the mottos of the United States Of America (although this refers to the fifty states comprising the Union and not the diversity of its population.) Unity In Diversity is the present official motto of Papua New Guinea . PROPOSED REFORM TREATY In the current draft of the Reform Treaty , the Euro is written to be the official currency of the Union, being the only "survivor" of Article IV-1 (The symbols of the Union) of the rejected Constitution . SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
European flag
European anthem
Europe day
European motto
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