The European Parliament intends to give a sign to the citizens of the 27 member states by making the EU’s symbols its own. While the enforcement of the Lisbon Treaty which had given up on regulating such symbols (as opposed to the provisions of the EU Constitution) has been put off, today’s and tomorrow’s Parliamentary sessions will address the report of Spanish MEP Carlos Carnero Gonzales, who asks to "amend the internal regulations to regulate the use of the symbols proposed by the draft Constitution". In other words, this means "hoisting the flag with the twelve golden stars on a blue ground in all the meeting halls and on the occasion of all the official events of the European Parliament". In addition, the Hymn to Joy, from Beethoven’s Ninth, "should be played at the opening of every constitutive session after the European elections and before other solemn sessions". The EU’s motto, "United in diversity", will have to be placed on all of Parliament’s official documents. Finally, the celebration of May 9th, the Day of Europe, which commemorates the 1950 Schuman Declaration, should be officially recognised by Parliament.
