New national side of euro coins intended for circulation

(2018/C 155/03)

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 issuing 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 face features a commemorative design that is highly symbolic in national or European terms.

Issuing country : France

Subject of commemoration : Simone Veil

Description of the design : The design displays a portrait of Simone Veil, an icon in the combat for women’s rights. Simone Veil, born Jacob, left us in June 2017 at the age of 89. After surviving deportation to Auschwitz, she went on to become one of the most important actors in Europe’s building. She was the first elected president of the European Parliament from 1979 to 1982. She symbolizes the depenalization of abortion she fought for with the law bearing her name voted in 1975. In 2008, she is elected at the French Academy.

Her deportation registration number appears on her collar. The background depicts the European Parliament on which her name, key dates, indication of the country ‘RF’, year of issuance ‘2018’ and the mintmarks are inscribed.

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

Number of coins to be issued : 15 million coins

Date of issue : May/June 2018

(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).