A giant European Union flag is unfurled over the facade of Barcelona's La Pedrera building, the emblematic modernist building by architect Antoni Gaudi, during celebrations for Europe Day on May 9, 2008. What is now the European Union adopted May 9 as 'Europe Day' at the Milan summit in 1985, to celebrate that Robert Schuman, a Luxembourg-born French politician, regarded as one of the founders of the European Union, presented his proposal on the creation of an organised Europe, indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations, on May 9, 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. Getty Images logo Getty Images 18 months ago

A giant European Union flag is unfurled over the facade of Barcelona's La Pedrera building, the emblematic modernist building by architect Antoni Gaudi, during celebrations for Europe Day on May 9, 2008. What is now the European Union adopted May 9 as 'Europe Day' at the Milan summit in 1985, to celebrate that Robert Schuman, a Luxembourg-born French politician, regarded as one of the founders of the European Union, presented his proposal on the creation of an organised Europe, indispensable to the maintenance of peaceful relations, on May 9, 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.

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  1. Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero leaves an EU summit in Brussels, Friday Oct. 30, 2009. The European Union is seeking to maintain a united stand on climate change Friday by giving leeway to poorer member states to pay less into global climate aid fund.
  2. Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero leaves an EU summit in Brussels, Friday Oct. 30, 2009. The European Union is seeking to maintain a united stand on climate change Friday by giving leeway to poorer member states to pay less into global climate aid fund.
  3. Finland's Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen arrives at the EU council headquarters for the second day of the European Union Leaders Summit in Brussels October 30, 2009.
  4. Lithuania's President Dalia Grybauskaite (R) arrives at the EU council headquarters for the second day of the European Union Leaders Summit in Brussels October 30, 2009.
  5. Hungary's Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai arrives at the EU council headquarters for the second day of the European Union Leaders Summit in Brussels October 30, 2009.
  6. Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann arrives at the EU council headquarters for the second day of the European Union Leaders Summit in Brussels October 30, 2009.
  7. Belgium's Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy arrives at the EU council headquarters for the second day of the European Union Leaders Summit in Brussels October 30, 2009.
  8. Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband arrives at the EU council headquarters for the second day of the European Union Leaders Summit in Brussels October 30, 2009.
  9. Young people destroy plastic foam replicas of parts of the Berlin Wall in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Nov. 9, 2009, to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall, and of the unification of Germany. The anniversary event was organized by the German Embassy and Robert Schuman Foundation that promotes European integration.
  10. German Ambassador Michael H. Gerdts joins young people, as they jump on a plastic foam replica of a part of the Berlin Wall, in Warsaw, Poland, Monday, Nov. 9, 2009 to mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall, and of the unification of Germany. The anniversary event was organized by the German Embassy and Robert Schuman Foundation that promotes European integration.

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