The European Union (EU) was awarded the 2012 Nobel peace prize for advancing "peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe.

Thorbjoen Jagland, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said on Friday that the union and its forerunners have for over six decades contributed to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe. Over a 70-year period, Germany and France had fought three wars and today war between the two countries is unthinkable. Despite great impacts of the public debt, the bloc "is currently developing as the biggest common market where goods, people and service can be freely circulated.

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2011 was awarded to three women from Africa and the Arab world in acknowledgment of their nonviolent role in promoting peace, democracy and gender equality.