Euro: denominations and technical specifications of euro coins

Asserting that the euro was Europe in the pockets of citizens, Commissioner de Silguy recalled that, when the Ecofin Council adopted the common position, it had taken over the five amendments which the Commission had accepted (relating to the need for a reliable and effective system and for a system acceptable to all the citizens of the European Union). As regards the rapporteur’s two amendments at second reading (that the comments made by the blind and elderly should be taken into account and that coins should be easily recyclable), the Commissioner said that these could not be accepted as, among other aspects, the concerns of the visually impaired had been very extensively taken into account. The Commission could also not accept, within the framework of Article 105a(2) which related to euro denominations intended for circulation, the amendment on the introduction of 100 euro gold coins. However, the Commission suggested to all the monetary authorities of the Member States that they consider issuing a gold 100 euro collector’s coin. He added that this heavily symbolic proposal should meet with the approval of the various Member States. Finally, Mr de Silguy announced that, with the adoption of the regulation on the coins, the bulk of the arrangements required for moving to a single currency were now in place.