The euro & you

Euro Banknotes

On 1 January 2002, seven banknotes were introduced in 12 Member States of the European Union.

On the front of the banknotes, windows and gateways symbolise the European spirit of openness and co-operation. The 12 stars of the European Union represent the dynamism and harmony between European nations.

To complement these designs, the reverse of each banknote features a bridge. The bridges symbolise the close co-operation and communication between Europe and the rest of the world.

These designs, and the following features are presented in more detail below:

• The name of the currency – euro – in both the Latin (EURO) and the Greek (EYPO) alphabets;

• The initials of the European Central Bank in eight linguistic variants – ECB, BCE, BĊE, EBC, EKB, EKP, EZB, EKT – covering the 20 official languages of the European Community;

• The symbol © indicating copyright protection; and

• The flag of the European Union.