page_title: Pax Europaea
hierarchical_section_title: Pax Europaea
caption_attribution_description: Animated map of European Union, enlargements up to 2013. Color change is from the European Communities to European Union. &#160;&#160; European Communities &#160;&#160; European Union
context_page_description: Pax Europaea, is the period of relative peace experienced by Europe in the period following World War II—often associated above all with the creation of the European Union and its predecessors. After the Cold War this peace was even more evident because of the fall in political tensions, with the major exception of the Yugoslav Wars and various tensions with and within Russia. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
context_section_description: Pax Europaea (English: the European peace – after the historical Pax Romana), is the period of relative peace experienced by Europe in the period following World War II—often associated above all with the creation of the European Union (EU) and its predecessors. After the Cold War this peace was even more evident because of the fall in political tensions, with the major exception of the Yugoslav Wars and various tensions with and within Russia. In 2012, the EU was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
caption: Historic enlargement of the EU and its predecessors.