2026 marks the 70th anniversary of EUROPA stamps, a philatelic initiative created to strengthen ties between European countries and promote peace and cooperation. The first EUROPA stamps were issued in 1956 by six countries Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands then members of the European Coal and Steel Community. Today, 53 postal administrations participate in the annual EUROPA programme.
The Faroe Islands and EUROPA
The Faroe Islands joined the EUROPA series in 1979 and issued their first EUROPA stamps on 7 May that year. Since then, Posta Faroe Islands has taken part every year, combining the shared European theme with a Faroese interpretation.
Over the years, the Faroese EUROPA issues have become a long-running series of attractive stamps designed by Faroese artists and photographers. The stamps often draw on everyday life, nature, and cultural references from the islands, showing how an international theme can be expressed through local ideas and imagery. Together, they form a small visual history of Faroese design within a wider European context.
The 2026 Common Design
For anniversary years, PostEurop selects a shared design through an internal competition. The 2026 theme, “70th Anniversary of the EUROPA Stamp: United in …”, invited postal administrations to interpret ideas of communication, cooperation, and common roots. Fifteen proposals were submitted, and 50 postal organizations participated in the vote.
The winning design was submitted by Posti Ltd, Finland. Second place was awarded to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and third to Luxembourg.
Designer Klaus Welp explains that the stamp reflects a need for unity and reliable communication in a changing world. The diagonally ascending dotted line refers both to stamp perforation and to the continued development of European postal cooperation. Seven connected dots symbolize seventy years of shared effort, while the vibrant colour gradients echo the spirit of European unity.
The Designer
Klaus Welp is a Finnish-German visual artist and designer. He has designed more than one hundred Finnish postage stamps and is widely recognised for his work in visual communication, illustration, and cultural projects. His work has received several international awards.
EUROPA Stamps
Since 1956, EUROPA stamps have served as a visual symbol of European collaboration. Issued annually by participating postal administrations, they share a common theme while reflecting national artistic traditions. Since 1993, the programme has been coordinated by PostEurop through its Stamps and Philately Working Group.
