New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2018/C 466/07)

National side of the new commemorative 2-euro coin intended for circulation and issued by Belgium

Euro coins intended for circulation have legal tender status throughout the euro area. For 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 authorised to issue commemorative euro coins intended for circulation, provided that certain conditions are met, one of these being that only the 2-euro denomination is used. These coins have the same technical characteristics as other 2-euro coins, but their national face features a commemorative design that is highly symbolic in national or European terms.

Issuing country : Belgium

Subject of commemoration : 25th anniversary of the European Monetary Institute (EMI)

Description of the design : The inner part of the piece depicts the portrait Alexandre Lamfalussy, the first president of the EMI, on the right with his name below. On the left-hand side, the abbreviation EMI stands central with the year 1994 above, referring to date of the establishment of the Institute and the designation of Lamfalussy as its first president. Below ‘EMI’, several coins are depicted falling on each other with the inscription €, ‘ECU’ and ‘BEF’ from top to bottom. Given the fact that this is a Belgian issuance, we have chosen for ‘BEF’, the abbreviation of our former national currency. The purpose of this representation is to symbolise the transition of the national currencies to an European single currency, the euro as the EMI’s main focus was on establishing the European System of Central Banks, including the ECB and the new currency On the upper part of the left side of the coin is an inscription ‘European Monetary Institute’.

As the Royal Dutch Mint will strike the coins, the mintmark of Utrecht, a mercury staff is located on the left with the Belgian mint director mintmark, the coat of arms of the municipality Herzele. The country code BE and the year mark 2019 are located on the bottom. The initials LL referring to the designer of the coin, Mr Luc Luycx, are inscribed on the right.

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

Number of coins to be issued : 155 000 coins

Date of issue : January 2019

(1)  See OJ C 373, 28.12.2001, p. 1 for the national faces 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).