51997AP0334

A4-0334/97

Proposal for a Council Regulation on denominations and technical specifications of euro coins (COM(97)0247 - C4-0340/97 - 97/0154(SYN))

The proposal was approved with the following amendments:

(Amendment 1)

Recital 4

>Original text>

(4) Whereas the EC Mint Directors were mandated by the Monetary Committee to study and elaborate a complete proposal for a European single coinage system; whereas they submitted a proposal in November 1996 then a revised proposal in February 1997 indicating the denominations and technical specifications (diameter, thickness, weight, colour, composition and edge) of the new euro coins;

>Text following EP vote>

(4) Whereas the EC Mint Directors were mandated to study and elaborate a report on a European single coinage system; whereas they submitted a report in November 1996 then a revised report in February 1997 indicating the denominations and technical specifications (diameter, thickness, weight, colour, composition and edge) of the new euro coins;

(Amendment 2)

Recital 4a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

(4a) Whereas the new European single coinage system should induce public confidence and entail technological innovations that would establish it as a secure, reliable and efficient system;

(Amendment 3)

Recital 4b (new)

>Text following EP vote>

(4b) Whereas the acceptance of the new system by the public is one of the main objectives of the EC coinage system; whereas public confidence in the new system would depend on the physical characteristics of the euro coins, which should be user friendly; whereas such physical characteristics should not induce psychological resistance;

(Amendment 6)

Recital 5a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

(5a) Whereas public acceptance of the new coinage system depends mainly on whether the general public can distinguish between national coins with which it has been familiar and the new euro coins; whereas it also depends on whether the technical specifications introduce a user-friendly innovation to the general public;

(Amendment 7)

Recital 5b (new)

>Text following EP vote>

(5b) Whereas the number of denominations together with their face value should be based on all Member States' experience with their national coinage systems and their most commonly used petty coins, and should take account of the future needs of an economy characterized by an increasing use of electronic money; whereas the new coinage system should reflect the views of the blind and of old people who have both insisted on the smallest possible number of denominations forming a single series in which value increases with diameter; whereas, because in future large quantities of coins may become superfluous as the use of electronic money increases, coins ought to be made of a material which can be recycled easily, such as stainless steel;

(Amendment 8)

Recital 6

>Original text>

(6) Whereas some special security features are needed to reduce the scope for fraud for the 1 and 2 euro given their high value; whereas the use of a technique whereby coins are made in three layers and the combination of two different colours in the coin are considered to be the most efficient security features available today;

>Text following EP vote>

(6) Whereas the new euro coins will be more readily distinguishable and easier to become accustomed to if there is a link between their diameter and face value;

(6a) Whereas the denominations 0.01/0.10/1.00 are the pillars of a decimal system of coinage, and it is possible to reduce the euro coinage system to 6 denominations only by making do without the proposed 0.02 and 0.20 euro denominations;

(6b) Whereas the recognition feature and familiarization with the new euro coins will be enhanced by correlating the size of the diameter with the face value of the coins;

(Amendment 21)

Recital 6c (new)

>Text following EP vote>

(6c) Whereas giving the coins one European and one national side is an appropriate expression of the idea of European monetary cooperation between Member States and could substantially increase the degree of acceptance of the coins by European citizens;

(Amendment 10)

Recital 7a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

(7a) Whereas the provisional conclusions, reached in September 1997 by the Committee for Toxicity and Ecotoxicity of Chemical Compounds, are based on published literature and direct correspondence with experts in dermatology and are inconclusive; whereas given that such inconclusive evidence will create confusion and uncertainty and hence generate public resistance, it is important to exclude the use of nickel in the alloys of the surface of the coins, i.e. in any parts which get into contact with the skin of the users;

(Amendment 11)

Article 1

Before first denomination 'Face value (euro): 2", new denomination

>Text following EP vote>

Face value (euro)

100

Diameter in mm.

Thickness in mm.

Weight in grams

Shape

Round

Colour

Yellow

Composition

Gold (1)

Edge

Edge lettering

Fine milled

(1) The value of the metal and the production cost must not exceed the nominal value.

(Amendment 12)

Article 1, table, first denomination

>Original text>

Face value (euro)

2

Diameter in mm.

25.75

Thickness in mm.

1.95

Weight in grams

8.5

Shape

Round

Colour

External part: white

Internal part: yellow

Composition

Copper-nickel (Cu75Ni25)

Three-layer

Nickel-brass/Nickel/Nickel-brass

CuZn20Ni5/Ni12/CuZn20Ni5

Edge

Edge lettering

Fine milled

>Text following EP vote>

Face value (euro)

2

Diameter in mm.

External: 26.50

Internal: 18.30

Thickness in mm.

1.65

Weight in grams

7.20

Shape

Round

Colour

External part: white

Internal part: yellow

Composition

Ext.: nickel-free stainless steel

Int.: Three-layer

Nickel-brass/Nickel/Nickel-brass

CuZn20Ni5/Ni12/CuZn20Ni5

Edge

Edge lettering

Fine milled

(Amendment 13)

Article 1, table, second denomination

>Original text>

Face value (euro)

1

Diameter in mm.

23.25

Thickness in mm.

2.125

Weight in grams

7.5

Shape

Round

Colour

External part: yellow

Internal part: white

Composition

Nickel-brass (CuZn20Ni5)

Three-layer

Cu75Ni25/Ni7/Cu75Ni25

Edge

Interrupted milled

>Text following EP vote>

Face value (euro)

1

Diameter in mm.

Ext.: 23.65

Int.: 16.30

Thickness in mm.

1.63

Weight in grams

5.75

Shape

Round

Colour

External part: white

Internal part: yellow

Composition

External: nickel-free stainless steel

Internal: Three-layer

Nickel-brass/Ni7/Nickel-brass

CuZn20Ni5/Ni7/CuZn20Ni5

Edge

Interrupted milled

(Amendment 14)

Article 1, table, third denomination

>Original text>

Face value (euro)

0.50

Diameter in mm.

24.25

Thickness in mm.

1.69

Weight in grams

7

Shape

Round

Colour

Yellow

Composition

Nordic Gold

Cu89AL5Zn5Sn1

Edge

Coarse milled

>Text following EP vote>

Face value (euro)

0.50

Diameter in mm.

21.10

Thickness in mm.

1.61

Weight in grams

4.35

Shape

Round

Colour

White

Composition

Three-layer stainless steel

Cr18Ni9/Cr17/Cr18Ni9

Edge

Coarse milled

(Amendment 15)

Article 1, table, fourth denomination

>Original text>

Face value (euro)

0.20

Diameter in mm.

22.25

Thickness in mm.

1.63

Weight in grams

5.7

Shape

'Spanish flower' shape

Colour

Yellow

Composition

Nordic Gold

Cu89AL5Zn5Sn1

Edge

Plain

>Text following EP vote>

Deleted

(Amendment 16)

Article 1, table, fifth denomination

>Original text>

Face value (euro)

0.10

Diameter in mm.

19.75

Thickness in mm.

1.51

Weight in grams

4.1

Shape

Round

Colour

Yellow

Composition

Nordic Gold

Cu89AL5Zn5Sn1

Edge

Coarse milled

>Text following EP vote>

Face value (euro)

0.10

Diameter in mm.

18.85

Thickness in mm.

1.50

Weight in grams

3.45

Shape

Round

Colour

Yellow

Composition

Nordic Gold

Cu89AL5Zn5Sn1

Edge

Fine milled

(Amendment 17)

Article 1, table, sixth denomination

>Original text>

Face value (euro)

0.05

Diameter in mm.

21.75

Thickness in mm.

1.41

Weight in grams

3.9

Shape

Round

Colour

Red

Composition

Copper-covered steel

Edge

Smooth

>Text following EP vote>

Face value (euro)

0.05

Diameter in mm.

16.85

Thickness in mm.

1.24

Weight in grams

2.15

Shape

Round

Colour

Red

Composition

Copper-covered steel

Edge

Smooth

(Amendment 18 )

Article 1, table, seventh denomination

>Original text>

Face value (euro)

0.02

Diameter in mm.

18.75

Thickness in mm.

1.36

Weight in grams

3

Shape

Round

Colour

Red

Composition

Copper-covered steel

Edge

Smooth with a groove

>Text following EP vote>

Deleted

(Amendment 19)

Article 1, table, eighth denomination

>Original text>

Face value (euro)

0.01

Diameter in mm.

16.25

Thickness in mm.

1.32

Weight in grams

2.2

Shape

Round

Colour

Red

Composition

Copper-covered steel

Edge

Smooth

>Text following EP vote>

Face value (euro)

0.01

Diameter in mm.

15.00

Thickness in mm.

1.20

Weight in grams

1.65

Shape

Round

Colour

Red

Composition

Copper-covered steel

Edge

Smooth

(Amendment 28)

Articlel 1a (new)

>Text following EP vote>

Article 1a

The coins shall be given one European and one national side as an appropriate expression of the idea of European monetary cooperation between Member States, which will substantially increase the degree of acceptance of the coins by European citizens,

Legislative resolution embodying Parliament's opinion on the proposal for a Council Regulation on denominations and technical specifications of euro coins (COM(97)0247 - C4-0340/97 - 97/0154(SYN))

(Cooperation procedure: first reading)

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the Commission proposal to the Council, COM(97)0247 - 97/0154(SYN) ((OJ C 208, 9.7.1997, p. 5.)),

- having been consulted by the Council pursuant to Articles 189c and 105a(2) of the EC Treaty (C4-0340/97),

- having regard to Rule 58 of its Rules of Procedure,

- having regard to the report of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs and Industrial Policy and the opinion of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Consumer Protection (A4-0334/97),

1. Approves the Commission proposal, subject to Parliament's amendments;

2. Calls on the Commission to alter its proposal accordingly, pursuant to Article 189a(2) of the EC Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to incorporate Parliament's amendments in the common position that it adopts in accordance with Article 189c(a) of the EC Treaty;

4. Calls for the conciliation procedure to be opened should the Council intend to depart from the text approved by Parliament;

5. Asks to be consulted again should the Council intend to make substantial modifications to the Commission proposal;

6. Instructs its President to forward this opinion to the Council and Commission.