Council Regulation (EC) No 423/1999 of 22 February 1999 amending Regulation (EC) No 975/98 on denominations and technical specifications of euro coins intended for circulation
Date: 1999-02-22
Institutions: Council of the European Union
Subjects: euro, issue of securities, monetary union, money, technical specification

L 52/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

27. 2. 1999

I

(Acts whose publication is obligatory)

COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 423/1999

of 22 February 1999

amending Regulation (EC) No 975/98 on denominations and technical specifica-
tions of euro coins intended for circulation

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European
Community, and in particular Article 105a(2) thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the Commission (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the European Central
Bank (2),

Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in
Article 189c of the Treaty (3),

Whereas Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 975/98 (4) sets
out the technical specifications of the eight denomina-
tions included in the first series of euro coins; whereas the
mint directors have drawn up, on the basis of that Regula-
tion,
the more detailed specifications necessary for
production;

Whereas the vending industry, having examined those
detailed specifications, has requested an increase of the
weight of the 50 cent coin in order to ensure clearer
differentiation of that coin and reduce risks of fraud;
the European Blind Union, having tested
whereas
samples from the first production runs, has complained
about the edge milling of the 50 cent and 10 cent coins
which did not match the milling of the samples agreed by
it during the consultation process preceding the adoption
of Regulation (EC) No 975/88; whereas, in order to ensure
the acceptance of the new system by the users, it seems
desirable to accede to the requests expressed both by the
vending industry and the European Blind Union; whereas
in order to satisfy the vending industry’s requirements, it

(1) OJ C 296, 24. 9. 1998, p. 10.
(2) Opinion delivered on 16 November 1998 (not yet published

in the Official Journal).

(3) Opinion of the European Parliament of 18 November 1998
(OJ C 379, 7. 12. 1998), Council Common Position of 21
December 1998 (not yet published in the Official Journal)
and Decision of the European Parliament of 9 February 1999
(not yet published in the Official Journal).

(4) OJ L 139, 11. 5. 1998, p. 6.

is necessary to increase the weight of the 50 cent coin
from 7 g to 7,8 g; whereas in order to satisfy the European
Blind Union’s requirements and avoid any risk of misin-
terpretation in the future, it is desirable to modify the
specification for the edge of the 50 cent and 10 cent coins
from ‘coarse milling' to ‘shaped edge with fine scallops'
which better reflects the shape of the edge originally
agreed by the European Blind Union for those two coins;

Whereas it is essential that the modifications of the tech-
nical specifications be confined to the weight of the 50
cent coin and the edge of the 10 cent and 50 cent coins
in order not to compromise the production timetable and
the introduction of the euro coins on 1 January 2002,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

In Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 975/98, the table shall
be amended as follows:

(1) The fourth row relating to the 50 cent coin shall be

amended as follows:

(a) in the third column,
replaced by ‘1,88';

the figure ‘1,69' shall be

(b) in the fourth column,

the figure ‘7' shall be

replaced by ‘7,8';

(c) in the eighth column, the words ‘coarse milled'
shall be replaced by ‘shaped edge with fine scal-
lops'.

(2) In the sixth row relating to the 10 cent coin, in the
the words ‘coarse milled' shall be

eighth column,
replaced by ‘shaped edge with fine scallops'.

27. 2. 1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

L 52/3

This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1999.

Article 2

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member
States, in accordance with the Treaty, subject to Article 109k(1) and Protocols 11 and 12.

Done at Luxembourg, 22 February 1999.

For the Council

The President

H.-F. von PLOETZ