deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

European Union (EU), international organization comprising 27 European countries and governing common economic, social, and security policies. Originally confined to western Europe, the EU undertook a robust expansion into central and eastern Europe in the early 21st century. The EU’s members are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden. The United Kingdom, which had been a founding member of the EU, left the organization in 2020.

The European Union was formally established when the Maastricht treaty came into force on 1 November 1993. The treaty also gave the name European Community to the EEC, even if it was referred to as such before the treaty. With further enlargement planned to include the former communist states of Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Cyprus and Malta, the Copenhagen criteria for candidate members to join the EU were agreed upon in June 1993. In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden joined the EU.

Over the years, the European flag has become one of the most recognised symbols in Europe and around the world. Much more than an institutional emblem, it stands for the values and shared identity of millions of Europeans united in their diversity.

This sense of togetherness goes beyond national borders, languages, histories and culture. Over 40 years, the flag has inspired millions of people across the continent to come together and work towards common goals.

It represents the choice of peace after centuries of conflict and division, a choice for solidarityand freedom, that has profoundly transformed the lives of millions.