9 May is "Europe Day": on 9 May 1950 the first move was made towards the creation of what is now known as the European Union. In Paris that day,the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman (9 May is also called 'Schuman Day') read to the international press a declaration calling France, Germany and other European countries to pool together their coal and steel production as "the first concrete foundation of a European federation". Read more at the EU website.