Cover «First Day. EUROPA. 70 years of EUROPA stamps»

In 1956, the six founding member states of the European Union (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) issued postage stamps featuring the EUROPA logo to demonstrate the unity of the European community’s core values — respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality and peace. There are currently 53 postal organisations participating in this initiative.

In a design competition organised by PostEurop to mark the 70th anniversary of the EUROPA stamps, the winning entry was submitted by Finnish designer Klaus Welpa. The seven perforation dots symbolise 70 years of joint efforts by postal operators across the continent; the smooth transitions and dotted patterns create a combination of the colours of the European flag and embody the unity of all member countries.

The design submitted to the competition by Ukraine, created by Kost Lavro, features on the second stamp of the Ukrainian EUROPA 2026 postal issue. White doves flying against a backdrop of famous landmarks in European capitals symbolise the EUROPA stamps, which for 70 years have been a shining example of cultural diplomacy.