Commission Recommendation of 19 December 2008 on common guidelines for the national sides and the issuance of euro coins intended for circulation (notified under document number C(2008) 8625)
Date: 2008-12-19
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Economic and Monetary Union, euro, paper money, technical specification

L 9/52

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

14.1.2009

RECOMMENDATIONS

COMMISSION

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION

of 19 December 2008

on common guidelines for the national sides and the issuance of euro coins intended for circulation

(notified under document number C(2008) 8625)

(Only the Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Maltese, Portuguese, Spanish, Slovenian and
Swedish texts are authentic)

(2009/23/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty
Community, and in particular Article 211 thereof,

establishing the European

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

According to Article 106(2) of the Treaty, Member States
may issue coins subject to approval by the European
Central Bank of the volume of the issue.

the Treaty,

In accordance with the second sentence of Article 106(2)
the Council has adopted harmonising
of
measures in this field, by way of Council Regulation
(EC) No 975/98 of 3 May 1998 on denominations and
technical specifications of euro coins intended for circu­
lation (1).

According to Article 11 of Council Regulation (EC) No
974/98 of 3 May 1998 on the introduction of
the
euro (2), coins denominated in euro and cent and
complying with the denominations and technical specifi­
cations should have the status of legal tender in all ‘par­
ticipating Member States’ as defined in that Regulation.

According to common practice among participating
Member States, euro coins
intended for circulation,
including commemorative coins intended for circulation,
should be put into circulation at face value. This does not
exclude, however, that a minor proportion of the total
value of issued coins is sold at a higher price if produced
with a special quality or presented in special packaging.

(5)

Euro coins not only circulate in the issuing Member State
but in the whole euro area and even beyond. In this
context, a clear indication of the issuing Member State

(1) OJ L 139, 11.5.1998, p. 6.
(2) OJ L 139, 11.5.1998, p. 1.

(6)

(7)

(8)

(9)

(10)

should be put on the national side of the euro coin in
order to allow interested coin users to easily identify the
issuing Member State.

Euro coins have a common European side and a
distinctive national side. The common European sides
the single
of
coin. The
currency and the denomination of
national side should neither repeat
the
single currency nor the denomination of the coin.

the euro coins bear both the name of
the

the name of

The designs on the national sides of the euro coins are
decided by each participating Member State, but should
be fully surrounded by the 12 stars of the European flag.

Common rules should be followed by the participating
Member States as regards changes to the national side of
the euro coins. The designs used for the national sides of
regular euro coins intended for circulation should in
principle not be modified, except if the Head of State
referred to on a coin changes.

Commemorative coins are specific coins intended for
circulation where the regular national design is replaced
by a different national design in order to commemorate a
specific subject. The 2-euro coin constitutes the most
this purpose, principally
suitable denomination for
the coin and its
because of
technical
characteristics offering adequate protection
against counterfeiting.

the large diameter of

Issues of commemorative euro coins intended for circu­
lation should only commemorate subjects of major
national or European relevance, since such coins are
intended for circulation throughout the euro-area. Less
important subjects should rather be celebrated by way
of issuing euro collector coins, which are not intended
for circulation and which must be easily distinguishable
from euro coins intended for circulation. Commem­
orative coins collectively issued by all participating
Member States should be reserved for subjects of the
highest European relevance.

14.1.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 9/53

(11)

The issuing limit of one commemorative euro coin
intended for circulation per issuing Member State per
year has worked well and should remain in place
together with the additional possibility for a collective
issue of a commemorative euro coin intended for circu­
lation by all participating Member States. Moreover,
Member States may issue a commemorative euro coin
intended for circulation in the case of a temporary
vacancy or a provisional occupation of the function of
Head of State.

HEREBY RECOMMENDS:

1. Putting euro coins into circulation

Euro coins intended for circulation should be put into circu­
face value. This does not exclude that a minor
lation at
proportion of issued euro coins is sold at a higher price,
if
justified by reasons such as special quality or packaging.

(12)

It
is necessary to establish certain volume limits for
commemorative coins intended for circulation in order
to ensure that such coins remain a small percentage of
the total number of the 2-euro coins in circulation. At
the same time, these volume limits should allow for the
issuance of a sufficient volume of coins to ensure that
commemorative coins can circulate effectively.

2. Identification of the issuing Member State

the euro coins
The national sides of all denominations of
intended for circulation should bear an indication of
the
issuing Member State by means of the Member State’s name
or an abbreviation of it.

(13) As the euro coins circulate throughout the euro area,
their national design features are a matter of common
interest. Issuing Member States should inform each other
about new national sides well in advance of the planned
issue date. To this effect, issuing Member States should
forward their draft euro coin designs to the Commission,
which will verify the compliance with this Recommen­
dation.

(14)

(15)

The Member States have been consulted on the
guidelines set out in this Recommendation, in order to
take account of
their different national practices and
preferences in this area.

The Community has concluded Monetary Agreements
with the Principality of Monaco, the Republic of San
Marino and the Vatican City State, allowing them to
issue certain quantities of euro coins. The common
guidelines
coins
intended for circulation issued by those States.

should also be

applicable

to the

(16) A review of this Recommendation should be prepared
before the end of 2015, in order to determine whether
the guidelines need to be modified.

(17)

of 29 September 2003 on

This Recommendation should replace the Commission
Recommendation
a
common practice for changes to the design of national
obverse sides of euro circulation coins (1) and the
Commission Recommendation of 3 June 2005 on
common guidelines for the national sides of euro circu­
lation coins (2),

(1) OJ L 264, 15.10.2003, p. 38.
(2) OJ L 186, 18.7.2005, p. 1.

3. Absence of the currency name and denomination

1. The national side of the euro coins intended for circulation
should not repeat any indication of the denomination, or
any parts thereof, of the coin, neither should it repeat the
name of the single currency or of its subdivision, unless such
indication stems from the use of a different alphabet.

2. The edge lettering of the 2-euro coin could bear an indi­
cation of the denomination, provided that only the figure ‘2’
or the term ‘euro’ or both are used.

4. Design of the national sides

The national side of the euro coins intended for circulation
should bear the 12 European stars that should fully surround
the national design, including the year mark and the indication
of the issuing Member State’s name. The European stars should
be depicted as on the European flag.

5. Changes to the national sides of regular euro coins
intended for circulation

Without prejudice to point 6, the designs used for the national
sides of the euro coins intended for circulation denominated in
euro or in cent should not be modified, except in cases where
the Head of State referred to on a coin changes. Issuing Member
States should, however, be allowed to update the design of euro
coins depicting the Head of State every 15 years in order to
take account of a change in the appearance of the Head of
State. Issuing Member States should also be allowed to update
their national sides of euro coins in order to fully comply with
this Recommendation.

A temporary vacancy or the provisional occupation of
the
function of Head of State should not give the right to change
the national sides of the regular euro coins intended for circu­
lation.

L 9/54

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

14.1.2009

6. Issuance of commemorative euro coins intended for
circulation

for

coins

intended

circulation

1. Issues of commemorative euro coins intended for circulation
showing a different national design from that of the regular
only
euro
commemorate subjects of major national or European
relevance. Commemorative euro coins intended for circu­
lation collectively issued by all participating Member States
as defined in Article 1 of Regulation (EC) No 974/98
the ‘participating Member States’) should only
(hereafter
commemorate subjects of the highest European relevance
and their issuance should be endorsed by the Council.

should

(ii) 5,0 % of the total number of 2-euro coins brought
issuing Member State
the
into circulation by
concerned up to the beginning of
year
preceding the year of issuance of the commemorative
coin;

the

(d) the

edge

euro coins
lettering on commemorative
intended for circulation should be the same as on
regular euro coins intended for circulation.

2. The issuance of commemorative euro coins intended for

circulation should comply with the following rules:

7. Information procedure and publication of future
changes

(a)

the number of
issues should be limited to one per
issuing Member State per year, except in cases where:

(i) commemorative euro coins intended for circulation
are collectively issued by all participating Member
States;

(ii) a possible commemorative euro coin intended for
circulation is issued at the occasion of a temporary
vacancy or a provisional occupation of the function
of Head of State;

(b) the 2-euro coin should be the sole denomination used

for such issues;

(c)

the total number of coins put into circulation for each
the
individual
following two ceilings:

issue should not exceed the higher of

(i) 0,1 % of the total number of 2-euro coins brought
into circulation by all participating Member States up
to the beginning of the year preceding the year of
issuance of
this ceiling
the commemorative coin;
may be raised to 2,0 % of the total circulation of
2-euro coins of all participating Member States if a
global and highly symbolic
comme­
morated,
in which case the issuing Member State
should refrain from launching another commem­
orative
raised
circulation coin issue using the
ceiling during the subsequent four years and should
set out the reasons for choosing the raised ceiling
when providing information as provided for
in
point 7;

subject

is

Member States should inform each other on the draft designs of
new national sides of euro coins, including the edge letterings,
and of the volume of issuance before they formally approve
these designs. To this effect, new draft designs of euro coins
should be forwarded by the issuing Member State to the
Commission, as a rule, at least six months before the planned
issue date. The Commission should verify compliance with the
guidelines of
this Recommendation and inform the other
Member States without delay via the Economic and Financial
Committee’s
the
subcommittee.
Commission considers that the guidelines of the present Recom­
mendation are not respected, the relevant subcommittee of the
Economic and Financial Committee should decide whether to
approve the design.

and when

relevant

If

The relevant subcommittee of
the Economic and Financial
Committee should approve the designs of commemorative
euro coins intended for circulation collectively issued by all
participating Member States.

All relevant information on new national euro coin designs will
be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

8. Scope of the recommended practices

This Recommendation should apply to national sides and edge
letterings of both regular and commemorative euro coins
intended for circulation. It should not apply to the national
sides and edge letterings of both regular and commemorative
euro coins intended for circulation which have been first issued
or approved according to the agreed information procedure
prior to the adoption of this Recommendation.

9. Repealing of previous recommendations

Recommendations 2003/734/EC and 2005/491/EC are hereby
repealed.

14.1.2009

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 9/55

This Recommendation is addressed to all participating Member States.

10. Addressees

Done at Brussels, 19 December 2008.

For the Commission

Joaquín ALMUNIA
Member of the Commission