Which organization adopted the Flag of Europe in 1955?

The Council of Europe adopted the Flag of Europe in 1955.

The flag consists of twelve gold five-pointed stars arranged in a circle on a blue field. The Council of Europe adopted it as its emblem in December 1955, making it a symbol of European unity rather than a flag originally created by the European Union.

The fixed number of twelve stars does not represent the number of member countries. Instead, it symbolizes perfection, completeness, and unity. The stars form a circle to suggest solidarity and harmony, with no star placed above another.

The European Communities adopted the same design in the 1980s, and it later became closely associated with the European Union. That later connection is why quizzes often incorrectly credit the EU with the flag’s original adoption. The Council of Europe and the European Union are separate organizations, although all EU countries also belong to the Council of Europe.