WRITTEN QUESTION No. 3920/97 by Nikitas KAKLAMANIS to the Commission. Depiction of the Greek islands on euro coins and banknotes
Date: 1997-12-11
Institutions: European Parliament, KAKLAMANIS
Subjects: EU Member State, European symbol, Greece, atlas, designs and models, euro, island, paper money

22. 6. 98

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 196/35

(98/C 196/49)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3920/97

by Nikitas Kaklamanis (UPE) to the Commission

(11 December 1997)

Subject: Depiction of the Greek islands on euro coins and banknotes

In his reply to my previous Written Question E-0885/97 (1) Commissioner de Silguy had notified me that the
depiction of the map of Europe on euro coins and banknotes was provisional and that the final version would
include the Greek islands which had been omitted in the models of the new single European currency unveiled
some time ago.

Will the Commission say whether the commitment undertaken by the Commissioner responsible was honoured
when  the  map  of  Europe  was  finalized  for  the  new  euro  coins  and  banknotes,  given  that  this  is  a  matter  of
justifiable public concern in Greece and will determine whether the first common currency in the history of our
Continent receives the psychological acceptance it obviously needs from the peoples of Europe?

(1)  OJ C 319, 18.10.1997, p. 186.

Answer given by Mr de Silguy on behalf of the Commission

(29 January 1998)

The Council of the European Monetary Institute approved the definitive designs for euro notes in May 1997. The
changes  made  concerned  among  other  things  the  map  of  Europe,  which  was  rectified  to  ensure  proper
geographical representation of the continent. In particular, all islands, archipelagos and territories larger than
400 km2  are shown.

As  for  euro  coins,  the  Commission  announced  following  the  Amsterdam  European  Council  that  the  designs
selected for the common face of the coins had been altered slightly, again to ensure correct representation of the
map of Europe.

These  changes  were  carried  out,  due  account  being  taken  of  the  observations  made  by  the  authorities  of  the
fifteen Member States, and the definitive designs were approved by the Ecofin Council on 17 November.

In view of the technical constraints resulting from the size of the coins, islands with a surface area of at least
2 500 km2 are shown. Application of this criterion has resulted in Crete now being included in the design for the
coins worth from 10 cents to 2 euros.

The  geographical  representation  of  Greece  has  also  been  rectified  following  observations  by  the  Greek
authorities, who, among other things, adjusted the representation of Peloponnese and the Khalkidiki peninsula.

(98/C 196/50)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3924/97

by Johannes Swoboda (PSE) to the Commission

(11 December 1997)

Subject: Institutes which may receive support for their information work on EU enlargement to the East

Several Austrian institutes are interested in holding information events on the effects of enlargement towards the
East for communities in Austrian border areas as well as in communities in Hungary, the Czech Republic and
Slowenia.

Can financial support be provided for events providing information and advice on the expected and probable
implications  of  enlargement  towards  the  East  for  communities  on  both  sides  of  the  EU(cid:146)s  present  external
borders?