Why Do European Union Passports Have A Common Design?

European Union (EU) passports have a common, standardized design in order to make it easier for customs and border officials to conduct passport inspections. Due to the common design, EU passport holders can avoid long lines when arriving at airports within the EU, as passport inspection often only takes a few minutes.
Another reason for having a standardized EU passport is to increase a sense of common European identity within the union, something which has, nevertheless, proven rather elusive over the years.

EU passports are issued by the national authorities of member states, but they all have a burgundy cover, with "European Union" and the name of the given country written on the top, in the national language of that state. The passport's cover also includes the national seal, crest, or symbol of the given country. On the first inside page, both "European Union" and the official name of the country are translated into all languages of the EU. Additionally, all key personal data is also translated into all official languages used within the EU.

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