New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2008/C 165/04)

Euro coins intended for circulation are legal tender throughout the euro area. For the purpose of informing the public and all parties involved who handle the coins, the Commission publishes a description of the designs of all new coins (1). In accordance with the Council conclusions of 8 December 2003 (2), euro-area Member States and those countries that have concluded a Monetary Agreement with the Community providing for the issuing of euro coins intended for circulation are allowed to issue certain quantities of commemorative euro coins for circulation, on condition that not more than one new coin design is issued per country per year and that only the 2-euro denomination is used. These coins have the technical features of normal euro circulation coins, but bear a commemorative design on the national side.

Issuing country: Portugal

Subject of commemoration: 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Description of the design: The inner part of the coin shows the Portuguese coat of arms at the top, above the name of the issuing country (‘PORTUGAL’), the year mark ‘2008’ and a geometric design in the bottom half of the centre. The legend ‘60 ANOS DA DECLARAÇÃO UNIVERSAL DOS DIREITOS HUMANOS’ runs along the edge of the bottom two thirds of the inner ring and is followed by the inscription ‘Esc. J. Duarte INCM’ in very small characters.

The outer ring of the coin shows the twelve stars of the European flag.

Maximum number of coins to be issued: 1 035 000 coins

Approximate date of issue: September 2008

Edge lettering: Five coats of arms and seven castles equally spaced.

(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, p. 1 for the national sides of all the coins issued in 2002.

(2)  See the conclusions of the Council (General Affairs) of 8 December 2003 on changes in the design of national sides of euro coins. See also the Commission Recommendation of 29 September 2003 on a common practice for changes to the design of national sides of euro circulation coins (OJ L 264, 15.10.2003, p. 38).