Pan-Europeanism refers several ideologies, but in general to a normative belief in some form of European geopolitical, cultural, ethnic or racial entity. Pan-Europeanism may imply political action on the basis of common traits recognized in European people, countries and cultures, and on the basis of intimate intra-European international relations - their inclusion in the European Constitution, for instance.

In the strict sense, pan-Europeanism is a form of pan-nationalism seeking to promote some form of European unity, in some cases implying the constitution of a European state or geopolitical entity of sorts. Early pan-Europeanist organisations, such as the early International Paneuropean Union, competed with other pan-nationalist ideals such as pan-Germanism. After the Second World War, the European Economic Community and its successor the European Union came to be seen as the only path to European integration, and other pan-Europeanist ideas were marginalised.

Recently, the term pan-European has been used within the European Union, to designate activities at EU, rather than national, level. The 2009 European elections, for instance are only open to pan-European political parties, although most of them are alliances of existing national parties.