The Official Journal of the European Union has publisehd on january, 14th 2009, the Commission Recommendation of December, 19th 2008 on common guidelines for the national sides and the issuance of euro coins intended for circulation. These recommendations contain some common rules which must be followed by the participating Member States as regards issuing and changes to the national side of the euro coins.

This Recommendation should apply to national sides and edge letterings of both regular and commemorative euro coins intended for circulation. It should not apply to the national sides and edge letterings of both regular and commemorative euro coins intended for circulation which have been first issued or approved according to the agreed information procedure prior to the adoption of this Recommendation.

In order to draw up these Recommendations Member States have been consulted on the guidelines set out, taking into account their different national practices and preferences in this area.

EC Recommendations on the issuing of euro coins

• Putting euro coins into circulation: Euro coins intended for circulation should be put into circulation at face value. This does not exclude that a minor proportion of issued euro coins is sold at a higher price, if justified by reasons such as special quality or packaging.
• Identification of the issuing Member State: The national sides of all denominations of the euro coins intended for circulation should bear an indication of the issuing Member State by means of the Member State’s name or an abbreviation of it.
• Absence of the currency name and denomination: The national side of the euro coins intended for circulation should not repeat any indication of the denomination, or any parts thereof, of the coin, neither should it repeat the name of the single currency or of its subdivision, unless such indication stems from the use of a different alphabet. Furthermore, the edge lettering of the 2-euro coin could bear an indication of the denomination, provided that only the figure ‘2’ or the term ‘euro’ or both are used.
• Design of the national sides: The national side of the euro coins intended for circulation should bear the 12 European stars that should fully surround the national design, including the year mark and the indication of the issuing Member State’s name. The European stars should be depicted as on the European flag.
• Changes to the national sides of regular euro coins intended for circulation: The designs used for the national sides of the euro coins intended for circulation denominated in euro or in cent should not be modified, except in cases where the Head of State referred to on a coin changes. Issuing Member States should, however, be allowed to update the design of euro coins depicting the Head of State every 15 years in order to take account of a change in the appearance of the Head of State.
• Issuance of commemorative euro coins intended for circulation: Issues of commemorative euro coins intended for circulation showing a different national design from that of the regular euro coins intended for circulation should only commemorate subjects of major national or European relevance, such as it has recently been the case for the Tenth Euro Anniversary. The 2-euro coin should be the sole denomination used for such issues, and should comply with certain rules set forth in this Recommendations.
• Information procedure and publication of future changes: Member States should inform each other on the draft designs of new national sides of euro coins, including the edge letterings, and of the volume of issuance before they formally approve these designs. To this effect, new draft designs of euro coins should be forwarded by the issuing Member State to the Commission, as a rule, at least six months before the planned issue date.

A review of this Recommendation should be prepared before the end of 2015, in order to determine whether the guidelines need to be modified.