The ideas behind the European Union were put forward on 9 May 1950 by the French foreign minister, Robert Schuman. This date is now celebrated as a key moment in the creation of the EU.
9 May, or Europe Day, is the anniversary of the 'Schuman declaration'. Speaking in Paris in 1950, Robert Schuman (the French foreign minister) proposed a new form of political cooperation for Europe, which would make war between Europe’s nations unthinkable.
His vision was the creation of a supranational European institution that would manage pooled coal and steel production. A treaty creating such an entity was signed just under a year later and came into force in July 1952.
Schuman’s proposal is considered to be the beginning of what is now the European Union.
At an EU summit in Milan in 1985, it was decided that 9 May would be celebrated as 'Europe Day'.
Europe Day is an opportunity for activities and festivities designed to bring the EU's institutions closer to the public, and the bloc's peoples closer to one another.
