The public buildings of the Autonomous Region of the Azores will fly the flags of Portugal, the Azores and the European Union on May 9 to mark Europe Day, which has been celebrated by various Member States since 1986.
 
The decision follows an order issued by the President of the Government, Vasco Cordeiro, and now published in the Official Journal with the aim of marking this day throughout the Region. The date was established by the Heads of State and Government at the Milan Summit in 1985.
 
On May 9, 1950, Robert Schuman, the then French Minister of Foreign Affairs, presented a proposal in Paris with the founding bases of what is now the European Union.
 
Known as the "Schuman Declaration," this proposal, based on an idea originally launched by Jean Monnet, emphasised the values of peace, solidarity, economic and social development, and environmental and regional balance. It also included the creation of a supranational European institution that would be responsible for managing coal and steel.