European Union (EU)
Capital: not officially fixed; most of EC institutions are located in Brussels (Belgium)
Currency code: EUR 978
Issuing authority: European Central Bank
Language: official languages of all member states
Head of state: President of the European Commission Cabinet - European Comission
Monetary unit: Euro
Euro =100 Cents
States of European Union using Euro as its currency:
Austria Belgium Germany Greece Ireland Spain Italy Cyprus Latvia Luxemburg Malta Netherlands Portugal Slovakia Slovenia Finland France EstoniaMore about state
Euro area GDP (bln US dollars)
- 2013 - 12 715.8
- 2012 - 13 075.8
- 2011 - 12 057.6
- 2010 - 12 456
- 2009 - 13 581.6
- 2008 - 12 319.4
Terms of import and export of currencies
Since January 1, 2013 the European Union changed rules on import and export of cash currency and now it is necessary to declare the cash sums in an equivalent more than 10 000 euros, and it is necessary to declare both on entrance, and on departure. Declarations are subject not only euro, but also money in any currency, and also securities and traveler's checks.
Only 18 states out of 28 EC member countries enter Euro area.
Euro banknotes bear on the face facsimile signature of the President of Bank Wim Duisenberg (1998–2003), Jean-Claude Trichet (2003–2012) or Mario Dragi (since 2012).
Euro banknotes of the first series bear on the back side serial number containing a letter and 11 digits.
| Z | Belgium | U | France | P | The Netherlands |
| Y | Greece | T | Ireland | N | Austria |
| X | Germany | S | Italy | M | Portugal |
| V | Spain | R | Luxembourg | L | Finland |
| H | Slovenia | G | Cyprus | F | Malta |
| E | Slovakia | D | Estonia |
Euro banknotes of the first series bear on the front side the manufacturer’s code, first letter is attached to a specific manufacturer.
| D | Setec Oy (Finland) | L | Banque de France (France) |
| E | François Charles Oberthur Fiduciaire (France) | M | Fabrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre (Spain) |
| F | Osterreichische Banknoten und Sicherheitsdruck GmbH (Austria) | N | Bank of Greece (Greece) |
| G | Johan Enschede en Zonen (The Netherlands) | P | Giesecke & Devrient (Germany) |
| H | De La Rue (UK) | R | Bundesdruckerei (Germany) |
| J | Banca d’Italia (Italy) | T | Banque Nationale de Belgique (Belgium) |
| K | Central Bank of Ireland ( Ireland) | U | Valora (Portugal) |
The serial numbers on the "Europa" series are the two numbers printed on the back of the banknote: a horizontal number printed in black and a vertical number printed in a different colour.
The horizontal number comprises two letters and ten digits. The first letter identifies the printing works. The second letter has no particular meaning; it simply makes more serial numbers possible.
| Banque Nationale de Belgique | Z |
| Bank of Greece | Y |
| Giesecke & Devrient GmbH (Munich) | X |
| Giesecke & Devrient GmbH (Leipzig) | W |
| Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre | V |
| Banque de France | U |
| Central Bank of Ireland | T |
| Banca d'Italia | S |
| Bundesdruckerei GmbH | R |
| Joh. Enschede Security Printing BV | P |
| Oesterreichische Banknoten und Sicherheitsdruck GmbH | N |
| Valora | M |
| Not assigned | L |
| Not assigned | K |
| De La Rue Currency (Gateshead) | J |
| De La Rue Currency (Loughton) | H |
| Не используется | G |
| Не используется | F |
| Oberthur Fiduciaire | E |
| Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych | D |
| Not assigned | C |
| Not assigned | B |
| Not assigned | A |
Euro exchange rate in relation to the national currencies of EU member states is fixed.
1 Euro =
| 13.7603 Austrian Shilling | 1.95583 Deutsche Mark |
| 40.3399 Belgian Franc | 2.20371 Netherlands Guilders |
| 340.750 Drachmai | 200.482 Portuguese Escudo |
| 0.78756 Irlandian Pound | 5.94573 Finlandian Markka |
| 166.386 Spainish Peseta | 6.55957 French Franc |
| 1936.27 Italian Lira | 239.640 Slovenian Tolar |
| 40.3399 Luxembourgian Franc | 0.429300 Maltese Lira |
| 0.585274 Cypriot Pound | 30.1260 Slovak koruna |
| 15.6466 Estonian Kroni | 0.702804 Latvian Lats |
The states and territories in which euro is in circulation: Azorsky islands (autonomy of Portugal), Akrotiri and Dekely (military bases of Great Britain in the territory of the island of Cyprus), Andorra, Balearsky islands (the province of Spain), Vatican, the Canary islands (the province of Spain), Kosovo (the autonomous region as a part of Serbia), Madeira (an autonomy of Portugal), Mayotte (overseas community of France), Monaco, San Marino; Saint-Bartelmi, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon (overseas communities of France); Montenegro
Denominations of notes in circulation (in millions of notes)
|
Total |
500 EUR |
200 EUR |
100 EUR |
50 EUR |
20 EUR |
10 EUR |
5 EUR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 |
13,116 |
530 |
170 |
1,381 |
4,912 |
2,618 |
2,030 |
1,476 |
|
2009 |
13,643 |
564 |
178 |
1,472 |
5,199 |
2,690 |
2,042 |
1,498 |
|
2010 |
14,171 |
576 |
181 |
1,551 |
5,550 |
2,752 |
2,039 |
1,522 |
|
2011 |
14,948 |
599 |
181 |
1,650 |
6,045 |
2,853 |
2,073 |
1,546 |
|
2012 |
15,687 |
587 |
184 |
1,706 |
6,437 |
2,988 |
2,171 |
1,613 |
|
2013 |
16,512 |
583 |
199 |
1,850 |
6,963 |
3,089 |
2,156 |
1,672 |
Denominations of notes in circulation (EUR billions)
|
|
Total |
500 EUR |
200 EUR |
100 EUR |
50 EUR |
20 EUR |
10 EUR |
5 EUR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2008 |
762.8 |
265.0 |
34.0 |
138.1 |
245.6 |
52.4 |
20.3 |
7.4 |
|
2009 |
806.4 |
281.9 |
35.6 |
147.2 |
260.0 |
53.8 |
20.4 |
7.5 |
|
2010 |
839.7 |
287.9 |
36.1 |
155.1 |
277.5 |
55.0 |
20.4 |
7.6 |
|
2011 |
888.6 |
299.6 |
36.3 |
165.0 |
302.3 |
57.1 |
20.7 |
7.7 |
|
2012 |
912.6 |
293.7 |
36.8 |
170.6 |
321.9 |
59.8 |
21.7 |
8.1 |
|
2013 |
956.2 |
291.6 |
39.8 |
185.0 |
348.1 |
61.8 |
21.6 |
8.4 |
Counterfeits
| Date of detection | Currency name | Denomination | Alphanumeric code | Quality of the counterfeit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-02-11 | EU | 200 | P00540566296, код предприятия-изготовителя T001F3 | high |
| 2013-03-01 | EU | 100 | W02125681626, код производителя P00G1 | high |
