In an article published in 1950 in the French quarterly publication Saisons d’Alsace, the Director of the Information and Press Service of the Council of Europe, Paul M. G. Lévy, and the assistant curator of the Museums of the City of Strasbourg, Paul Martin, submit their proposal for a new emblem for the Council of Europe: a white flag with a green cross, with the coat of arms of the City of Strasbourg in the centre.
In 1975, this Council of Europe postcard celebrates the 20th anniversary of the blue flag with 12 gold stars. The flag was designed by Arsène Heitz, an employee in the Council’s Mail Service, and adopted as the European organisation’s emblem by the Committee of Ministers on 8 December 1955.
On 27 March 2006, the Council adopts by qualified majority a Directive amending Directive 1999/62/EC on the charging of heavy goods vehicles for the use of certain infrastructures (Eurovignette), approving all of the amendments adopted by the European Parliament at second reading. The Portuguese and Maltese Delegations vote against, whilst the Estonian, Finnish and Greek Delegations abstain.
On 24 July 2006, the Council adopts without debate and by qualified majority a common position on a draft directive on services in the internal market. The Belgian and Lithuanian Delegations abstain. The common position is forwarded to the European Parliament for an opinion at second reading under the codecision procedure.
Diagram illustrating the codecision procedure, including its various stages and deadlines, as set out in 2000 in the Codecision Guide of the Council of the European Union.
Map showing all the civilian, police and military operations carried out under the European security and defence policy (ESDP) since 2003 (situation as of May 2006).