May 9 is Europe Day, a day celebrating peace and unity in Europe. The first recognition of Europe Day was by the Council of Europe in 1964 and it was later adopted by the European Union in 1985. Europe Day began by commemorating the 1950 Schuman Declaration which placed French and West German coal and steel production under a single authority that would later open up to other European countries. The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, and Luxembourg soon followed, creating the European Coal and Steel Community that later went on to form the European Union.
The EU Council dedicates this year's Europe Day to the people of Ukraine.