30 Years of the European Flag

The EU flag as a symbol bringing peoples and cultures together around shared ideals and visions for a better future. Twelve stars take on human form to welcome the birth of a new Europe. Along the upper right of the coin ring, the issuing state 'SLOVENIJA' and the years '1985–2015'. The initials of designer Georgios Stamatopoulos appear at the lower right.

Fourth joint issue of the European Union. All 19 eurozone states issued a coin with the same design on different dates. The coins differ only in the legend, which appears in the respective national language.

When the Council of Europe designed a common flag for European institutions in 1955, the choice of twelve gold stars on a blue background was the result of a years-long process of deliberation. The number twelve was not meant to represent a number of members - it symbolised completeness and harmony, rooted equally in ancient and Christian traditions. The design was largely the work of Arsène Heitz and Paul Lévy. Thirty years later, in 1985, the heads of state and government of the European Community declared this flag their official symbol, giving it a political dimension extending far beyond the Council of Europe. Since then, it has been the best-known visual symbol of European integration.

Slovenia was, in 1991, one of the first countries to opt for state independence after the breakup of Yugoslavia - and committed from the outset to Western integration. Accession to the European Union followed in 2004 as part of the largest EU enlargement round, and in 2007 Slovenia became the first of the new member states to join the eurozone. This path was not a given: it required fundamental reforms in the economy, the judiciary and public administration. That Slovenia took part in the pan-European joint issue marking the 30th anniversary of the European flag in 2015 - alongside all other eurozone states, with an identical design - was thus also a sign of how fully the small country has anchored itself in the community of eurozone states at the heart of Europe.