Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

13.11.2001 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 318/3

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION

on copyright protection of the common face design of the euro coins

(2001/C 318/03)

COM(2001) 600 final

Introduction

Under Council Regulation (EC) No 974/98 on the introduction
of the euro ( [1] ), coins denominated in euro will be introduced as
from 1 January 2002.

The denominations and technical specifications of the first
series of euro coins were defined in a Council Regulation
adopted on 3 May 1998 (Regulation (EC) No 975/98) ( [2] ).
Following this, a proposal to slightly modify that Regulation,
for reasons of new developments, was adopted by the
Commission on 29 July 1998. The first series of euro coins
will include eight denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cent and 1
and 2 euro.

In spring 1996 Member States decided that the euro coins will
have a common face and a national face and gave a mandate to
the Commission to organise a competition at European level to
select the design for the common face of the euro coins. The
winning designs of the European coin design competition were
selected by the Heads of States or Government in June 1997.

As provided in the competition’s terms of reference, the
copyrights on the winning designs were assigned to the
Commission by the artist.

By this Communication the Commission intends to set out the
arrangements which have been put in place for the
enforcement of the copyrights and the applicable reproduction
regime.

1. HOLDER OF THE COPYRIGHT

The copyright on the design of the common face of the euro
coins belongs to the European Community represented by the
Commission. The European Commission has assigned to each
of the Member States adopting the euro all the Community
rights as regards the territory of such Member State. The
Commission will assign the copyright to the other Member
States once they adopt the euro.

2. REPRODUCTION REGIME

The following common reproduction regime will be applied by
the Commission and by the participating Member States as
regards their territory.

Reproduction of all or part of the common face design of the
euro coins is authorised without recourse to a specific
procedure in the following cases:

( [1] ) OJ L 139, 11.5.1998.
( [2] ) OJ L 139, 11.5.1998

�for photographs, drawings, paintings, films, images, and
generally reproductions in flat format (without relief)
provided they are in faithful likeness and are used in
ways which do not damage or detract from the image of
the euro;

�for reproduction with relief on objects other than coins,
medals and tokens or any other objects which might be
confused with coins;

�for reproduction on tokens made in soft materials or made
in plastic provided the size is at least 50 % greater or
smaller than the real coins.

Reproduction on medals and tokens made in metal or on any
other object made in metal which might be confused with
coins is not authorised.

Any other reproduction of all or part of the common face
design of the euro coins has to be expressly authorised by
the European Commission in the case of non-participating
Member States, and by the designated authority of the
Member State to which the copyright has been assigned in
the case of participating Member States. (The list of designated
authorities for the participating Member States is attached as
Annex I).

The requests for authorisation addressed to the European
Commission should be sent to the Directorate-General for
Economic and Financial Affairs.

3. ENFORCEMENT

Enforcement of the copyright will be ensured by the participating Member States within their territory according to their
national legislation and in compliance with the reproduction
regime set out above. The Commission intends to enforce the
copyright in the non-participating Member States and third
countries according to the relevant national legislation.

If the Commission or the national entities to which the
copyrights have been assigned, become aware of an unauthorised reproduction having occurred on the relevant territory,
they will take immediate action to ensure that such reproduction ceases or is withdrawn. The Commission or the
Member States (in the case of participating Member States)
may decide to bring civil or criminal proceeding against the

C 318/4 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 13.11.2001

person responsible for the reproduction according to the corresponding national legislation.

The Commission intends to enforce the copyrights in coordination with the Member States. For that purpose Member
States are invited to inform the Commission of any action
they take to enforce the copyrights and on the implementation
of the reproduction rules.

4. REVIEW OF PRESENT ARRANGEMENTS

By the time of the introduction of the euro coins on 1 January
2002, the Commission intends to review the implementation
of the rules described above. The present arrangements might
be adapted in the future in the light of the experience gained.

ANNEX I

List of designated authorities as mentioned in paragraph 2 of the Communication

BELGIUM: MinistŁre des Finances �Administration de la TrØsorerie (Ministry of Finance �
Treasury Administration)

GERMANY: Bundesministerium der Finanzen (Federal Ministry of Finance)

GREECE: ���ıæª���ˇØŒ����ØŒ���ˆ��ØŒ�¸�ªØ���æØ���ı ˚æ���ı� (Ministry of Finance �State
Accounts Department)

SPAIN: Direcci�n General del Tesoro y Pol�tica Financiera (Directorate-General of the Treasury
and Financial Policy)

FRANCE: Direction des Monnaies et mØdailles �MinistŁre de l’Economie des Finances et de
l’Industrie de la RØpublique Fran�aise (Mint and Medals Directorate �Ministry of
Economic and Financial Affairs and Industry)

IRELAND: Minister for Finance

ITALY: Ministero dell’�conomia e delle Finanze (Ministry of Economic and Financial Affairs)

LUXEMBOURG: MinistŁre de Finances �Service de la TrØsorerie (Ministry of Finance �Treasury
Department)

NETHERLANDS: Ministerie van Financiºn �Direktie Binnenlands Geldwezen (Ministry of Finance �
Domestic Monetary and Financial Affairs Directorate)

AUSTRIA: M�nze �sterreich AG (Austrian Mint)

PORTUGAL: Imprensa Nacional �Casa da Moeda (National Printing Office �Mint)

FINLAND: Valtiovarainministeri�(Ministry of Finance)