2001/887/JHA: Council Decision of 6 December 2001 on the protection of the euro against counterfeiting

Council Decision
of 6 December 2001
on the protection of the euro against counterfeiting
(2001/887/JHA)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 31 and Article 34(2)(c) thereof,
Having regard to the initiative by the French Republic(1),
Having regard to the opinion of the European Parliament(2),
Whereas:
(1) Council Regulation (EC) No 974/98 of 3 May 1998 on the introduction of the euro(3) lays down that currency denominated in euro shall start to be put into circulation as from 1 January 2002 and obliges the participating Member States to ensure adequate sanctions against counterfeiting and falsification of euro banknotes and coins.
(2) The measures to protect the euro put in place by previous instruments should be supplemented and strengthened by provisions ensuring close cooperation between the competent authorities of the Member States, the European Central Bank, the national central banks, Europol and Eurojust to suppress offences involving counterfeiting of the euro.
(3) On 29 May 2000 the Council adopted Framework Decision 2000/383/JHA on increasing protection by criminal penalties and other sanctions against counterfeiting in connection with the introduction of the euro(4).
(4) On 28 June 2001 the Council adopted Regulation (EC) No 1338/2001 laying down measures necessary for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting(5) and Regulation (EC) No 1339/2001 extending the effects of Regulation (EC) No 1338/2001 laying down measures necessary for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting to those Member States which have not adopted the euro as their single currency(6),