New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2014/C 262/02)

Euro coins intended for circulation have legal tender status throughout the euro area. For the purpose of informing the public and all parties who handle the coins, the Commission publishes a description of the designs of all new coins (1). In accordance with the Council conclusions of 10 February 2009 (2), euro-area Member States and countries that have concluded a monetary agreement with the European Union providing for the issuance of euro coins are allowed to issue commemorative euro coins intended for circulation, provided that certain conditions are met, particularly that only the 2-euro denomination is used. These coins have the same technical characteristics as other 2-euro coins, but their national side features a commemorative design that is highly symbolic in national or European terms.

Issuing country : Belgium

Subject of commemoration : 150 years of the Belgian Red Cross

Description of the design : The inner part of the coin features a cross with the number ‘150’ in its centre. The vertical and horizontal bars of the cross bear the words ‘Rode Kruis’ and ‘Croix-Rouge’ respectively. The cross is surrounded by the mark of the Brussels mint (a helmeted profile of the archangel Michael), the signature mark of the Master of the Mint, the year 2014, and the country code ‘BE’.

The coin’s outer ring depicts the 12 stars of the European flag.

Number of coins to be issued : 260 000 coins

Date of issue : September 2014

(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 Economic and Financial Affairs Council of 10 February 2009 and the Commission Recommendation of 19 December 2008 on common guidelines for the national sides and the issuance of euro coins intended for circulation (OJ L 9, 14.1.2009, p. 52).