The European flag was designed in 1955 and adopted by the European Parliament in 1983 and EU leaders in 1985. It features 12 golden stars in a circle on a blue background, representing unity, solidarity, and harmony among Europeans. The number of stars and their circular design symbolize perfection and unity. The flag is used by the 27 current member states of the European Union, with Spain joining in 1986 and Croatia set to join in 2013.