Further decisions on the euro banknotes

13 BILLION EURO BANKNOTES WILL BE PRINTED

By 1 January 2002 (launch date) 13 billion euro banknotes will have been printed in the eleven participating Member States. This estimate, which is broken down into estimates for each country, will be updated annually. National central banks will now launch their printing orders on the basis of this estimate. Mass production of the euro banknotes will start in the first quarter of 1999.

AN ANALYSIS CENTRE FOR CURRENCY COUNTERFEITS WILL BE ESTABLISHED

The ECB will establish an analysis centre for counterfeits which will investigate counterfeit euro banknotes. The relevant statistical and technical data will be stored in a database which will also be designed to include similar data on counterfeit euro coins. The contents of the database will be made available to all of the national central banks of the EU countries and to the respective law enforcement bodies involved in combating counterfeiting.