Outrage as EU politicians reveal map depicting the Falkland Islands 'belonging to Argentina' - before issuing a correction

The EPP, crowing about how the deal "creates the largest free trade zone in the world", depicted the EU and six-member Mercosur in light blue, while non-members like the UK and Chile were coloured in grey.

But the party's map appeared to show the Falklands in the same shade of blue as former invaders Argentina - in the face of the EU's own position on the British Overseas Territory.

One source familiar with EU-UK diplomatic matters told the UK Defence Journal: "For an organisation as prominent as the EPP Group, accuracy in such sensitive representations is crucial.

"This map, whether intentional or not, undermines the EU's stated position of recognising the Falklands as British."

Meanwhile, the EPP's map was met with fury online - not least from historian Andreas Koureas, who said: "The Falkland Islands are British, you prats."

Fellow social media users were equally sharp - one said in reply to the EPP: "The only consolation Argentina gets over the Falklands conflict is that every time an organisation mislabels the islands as theirs, they get to celebrate for a minutes while the Union flag flies over Port Stanley."

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But upon closer inspection of the controversial map, eagle-eyed examiners noticed that the islands were, in fact, depicted in grey - with a "drop shadow" underneath in light blue.

That in itself raised eyebrows - the Falklands were the only territory on the map to have their shadow in that colour, while every other landmass received a darker blue shadow.

One social media user jabbed in response: "There are two Falklands on this map. I guess they didn't want to upset either claimant."

The EPP was then forced into a U-turn, publishing a "corrected picture" in which the Falklands were coloured in grey, without a shadow.

It comes a number of weeks after another map of the islands sparked fury in Argentina itself.

Argentine officials at a mining summit had displayed a map of the South American nation without the islands - in the face of Argentina's long-held claim on them.

One Argentine diplomat told local outlet A24 in response: "We Argentine representatives couldn't believe what we were seeing.

"If it was a mistake, it's very serious because it was an official act... And if it was on purpose, it's even more serious because we are relinquishing sovereignty!"

The archipelago was first landed on by English explorers some 120 years before Argentina existed as an independent state.