Protecting the euro against counterfeiting – European Technical and Scientific Centre

KEY POINTS

Tasks of the centre

The ETSC:

• analyses and classifies every new type of counterfeit euro coin, in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1338/2001 on the protection of the euro against counterfeiting (see summary);
• contributes to fulfilling the objectives of the Pericles programme;
• carries out certain tasks under Regulations (EU) No 1210/2010, which sets the rules for checking the authenticity of euro coins (see summary), and (EC) No 2182/2004, which concerns medals and tokens similar to euro coins (see summary);
• assists the coin national analysis centres and law enforcement authorities in their tasks, and collaborates with the relevant authorities in analysing counterfeit euro coins and in the strengthening of the protection of the euro;
• performs advanced and non-destructive analysis of high-quality counterfeit euro coins to inform Europol and law enforcement authorities of emerging threats (a new task added by amending Decision (EU) 2023/616).

Technical and scientific analysis of counterfeit euro coins

• The ETSC carries out a preliminary technical analysis in Brussels, and a complementary analysis may be carried out at the French Coin National Analysis Centre, within the French Mint.
• The Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs makes available to the ETSC the appropriate technical equipment in order to carry out non-destructive analysis in Brussels. This is to identify and respond in a timely manner to upcoming threats related to high-quality counterfeit euro coins.
• The ETSC can use the personnel and equipment at the French Mint for any necessary complementary analysis carried out in its premises. These costs are covered by the French authorities.
• The costs for ETSC personnel and the necessary technical equipment for carrying out its tasks in Brussels are covered by the EU budget, as are the costs of ETSC staff missions to the French Mint and various justified minor expenses that may occur while using the technical equipment at its laboratory.

Coordination and information activities

• The Commission coordinates the necessary actions to protect euro coins against counterfeiting and ensure an effective and uniform implementation of the authentication procedures in the euro area, among other things, through periodic meetings with Europol and counterfeit coin experts.
• The Economic and Financial Committee, the European Central Bank, Europol and the relevant national authorities must be kept regularly informed of the ETSC’s activities and of the situation as regards coin counterfeiting.

Authentication of euro coins

• Regulation (EU) No 1210/2010 introduces common rules and procedures within the euro area for checking the authenticity of euro coins in circulation (authentication process) and for handling and reimbursing those coins unfit for circulation.
• It states that the ETSC is responsible for defining, among other things:
  • the technical specifications for testing the coin-processing machines used for verifying the authenticity of euro coins;
  • training practices for the staff tasked with checking euro coins;
  • the validity period of the reports on the tests;
  • information on the list, published on the Commission’s website, of coin-processing machines that have successfully passed a detection test;
  • guidelines for annual on-the-spot controls of cash handlers’ capacity to authenticate euro coins;
  • rules for rectifying coin-processing machines’ non-compliance with the regulation.
• Decisions 2003/861/EC and 2003/862/EC provide for the establishment by the Commission of the ETSC and its operation in euro-area and non-euro-area Member States, respectively.