Euro security measures working

Print Action, Apr 2003

When the new currency of the European Union was released on January 1, 2002, one of its most promising features was the high level of security design and printing techniques used. And those measures are working, according to the European Central Bank. In the first year of circulation 167,118 counterfeit Euro banknotes were seized. According to Eurosystem, the organization which prints and mints the currency, this figure is exceptionally low for the young currency.

The Euro is equipped with many security features to prevent counterfeiting. These include a watermark that displays the currency's value; a security thread that can be seen in the note when held up to a light; a foil hologram that is revealed when the banknote is tilted; and an iridescent stripe that reflects various colours is printed on some denominations.

Approximately 8.2 billion genuine Euro banknotes were in circulation at the end of 2002.