Pax Europaea (English:the European peace – after the historicalPax Romana) is the period of relative peace experienced byEurope followingWorld War II, in which there were notably few international conflicts or wars between European states. This peace had often been associated with the creation ofNATO, theEuropean Union (EU), and the predecessor institutions of the EU including theEuropean Economic Community.[1] This era of relative peace has been broadly maintained following the end of theCold War and theDissolution of the Soviet Union, with the major exceptions of theYugoslav Wars,The Troubles in Northern Ireland, andvarious tensions and wars involving or within Russia (including the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine).
Transatlantic cooperation andEuropean integration was designed to maintain the fragile peace that was created in Europe after World War II.[citation needed] With the continent repeatedly falling into war over the past centuries[citation needed] the creation of theEuropean Communities in the 1950s set to integrate its members to such an extent that war between them would be impossible. Meanwhile, theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organisation formed as defensive military alliance among western European countries with the U.S. and Canada, to deter aggression both within and from without. The European Communities evolved into the European Union, and both it andNATO expanded to cover most ofWestern Europe,Northern Europe andSouthern Europe. AlthoughCentral and Eastern Europe remained underSoviet influence as members of theWarsaw Pact, they too experienced little conflict, with the major exception of internal repression, until the 1990s when a series ofwars in Yugoslavia broke out as the country disintegrated. The EU was criticised for its inability to prevent the conflict, though the zone is now within its sphere ofenlargement.
By 2020, the EU comprised 27 countries, with the majority of European non-member states seeking membership; twelve countries joined the EU in 2000s. In addition, most European countries which remain outside the EU are tied to it by economic agreements and treaties such as theEuropean Economic Area. Although a number of former Soviet republics have joined the EU, or have taken steps to align themselves with various European organisations, Russia has maintained a level of independence from European institutions. Within the EEA, there have been no military conflict since 1945, making it the longest period of peace on the western European mainland since thePax Romana. Even though a number of armed conflicts occurred on the European peninsula after World War II, none of them have been between members of the European Union. Most of these conflicts have taken place in theformer Yugoslavia and Soviet Union.
The European Union was awarded the2012 Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its efforts to maintain and actively foster peace within its borders as well as internationally through diplomatic means.[2]
Thecongress of Vienna had brought peace to Europe from 1815-1914.
(Note: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgiacan be considered part of Europe orWestern Asia; they are listed here for completeness)
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