Reproduction

Published: 1/1/2023

Reproduction rules for euro banknotes

The rules for the reproduction of euro banknotes are laid down in Decision of the European Central Bank of 19 April 2013 on the denominations, specifications, reproduction, exchange and withdrawal of euro banknotes (recast) (ECB/2013/10) (OJ L 118, 30.4.2013), as amended by Decision (EU) 2020/2090 of the European Central Bank of 4 December 2020 amending Decision ECB/2013/10 on the denominations, specifications, reproduction, exchange and withdrawal of euro banknotes (ECB/2020/60) (OJ L 423, 15.12.2020) (hereinafter referred to as ‘Decision ECB/2013/10’).

In accordance with Decision ECB/2013/10, the denominations and specifications of euro banknotes are specified in Article 1:

  1. Euro banknotes of the first series shall include seven denominations of euro banknotes in the range of 5 euro to 500 euro. Euro banknotes of the second series shall include six denominations in the range of 5 to 200 euro. Euro banknotes shall depict the theme “Ages and styles of Europe” with the following basic specifications:
Face value (EUR) Dimensions (first series) Dimensions (second series) Dominant colour Design
5 120 × 62 mm 120 × 62 mm Grey Classical
10 127 × 67 mm 127 × 67 mm Red Romanesque
20 133 × 72 mm 133 × 72 mm Blue Gothic
50 140 × 77 mm 140 × 77 mm Orange Renaissance
100 147 × 82 mm 147 × 77 mm Green Baroque and rococo
200 153 × 82 mm 153 × 77 mm Yellow-brown Iron and glass architecture
500 160 × 82 mm Not to be included in the second series Purple Modern 20th century architecture

 

  1. The seven denominations in the euro banknote series shall bear the representation of gateways and windows on the front side (recto) and bridges on the reverse side (verso). All seven denominations shall be typical of the different European artistic periods referred to above. Other elements of the designs shall include:
    1. the symbol of the European Union;
    2. the name of the currency in the Roman and Greek alphabets and, additionally, for the second series of euro banknotes, the name of the currency in the Cyrillic alphabet;
    3. the initials of the ECB in the European Union’s official language variants:
      1. for the first series of euro banknotes, the initials of the ECB shall be limited to the following five official language variants: BCE, ECB, EZB, EKT and EKP;
      2. for the second series of euro banknotes: (1) for the denominations of euro 5, euro 10, and euro 20, the initials of the ECB shall be limited to the following nine official language variants: BCE, ECB, ЕЦБ, EZB, EKP, EKT, EKB, BĊE and EBC; (2) for the denominations of euro 50, euro 100, and euro 200, the initials of the ECB shall be limited to the following ten official language variants: BCE, ECB, ЕЦБ, EZB, EKP, EKT, ESB, EKB, BĊE and EBC;
    4. the © symbol which indicates that the copyright belongs to the ECB; and
    5. the signature of the President of the ECB.

Article 2(3) of Decision ECB/2013/10 defines the cases of permissible reproduction of euro banknotes without the prior approval of the European Central Bank as follows:

(a) one-sided reproductions of a euro banknote as specified in Article 1, provided that the size of the reproduction is equal to or greater than 125% of both the length and width, or equal to or less than 75% of both the length and the width of the respective euro banknote as specified in Article 1; or

(b) two-sided reproductions of a euro banknote as specified in Article 1, provided that the size of the reproduction is equal to or greater than 200% of both the length and width or equal to or less than 50% of both the length and width of the respective euro banknote as specified in Article 1; or

(c) reproductions of individual design elements of a euro banknote as specified in Article 1, provided that such a design element is not depicted on a background resembling a banknote; or

(d) one-sided reproductions depicting a part of the front side or reverse side of a euro banknote, provided that such a part is smaller than one third of the original front side or reverse side of the euro banknote as specified in Article 1; or

(e) reproductions made of a material clearly different from paper, which looks and feels distinctly different from the material used for banknotes; or

(f) intangible reproductions made available electronically on websites, by wire or wireless means or by any other means that allow members of the public to access these intangible reproductions from a place and at a time individually chosen by them, provided that:

  • the word SPECIMEN (sample) (or its equivalent in another official language of the European Union) is incorporated diagonally across the reproduction in Arial font or a font similar to Arial font,
  • the resolution of the electronic reproduction in its 100% size does not exceed 72 dots per inch (dpi),
  • the length of the word SPECIMEN (or its equivalent in another official language of the European Union) is at least 75% of the length of the reproduction,
  • the height of the word SPECIMEN (or its equivalent in another official language of the European Union) is at least 15% of the width of the reproduction, and
  • the word SPECIMEN (or its equivalent in another official language of the European Union) is displayed in a non-transparent (opaque) colour contrasting with the dominant colour of the respective euro banknote as specified in Article 1.

Photos of euro banknotes may be requested from the European Central Bank

 

REPRODUCTION RULES FOR EURO COINS

Euro coins have a common side and a national side. The common side is the same for all euro area countries and the national side varies depending on the issuing country.

The rules for the reproduction of the design of euro coins with the national side of the Republic of Croatia are laid down in the Act on the Introduction of the Euro as the Official Currency in the Republic of Croatia (OG 57/2022 and 88/2022).

Article 35, paragraph (3) of the Act defines the cases of permissible reproduction of the design of the Croatian national side of euro coins without the prior approval of the Croatian National Bank.

The rules for the reproduction of the design of the common side of euro coins are laid down in the Communication from the Commission on copyright protection of the common face design of the euro coins (2011/C 41/03). The holder of the copyright in the use of the design of the common side of the euro coin in the territory of the Republic of Croatia is the Croatian National Bank. Article 2 of Communications defines the cases of permissible reproduction of the design of the common side of euro coins.

Consequently, the reproduction of the design of euro coins with the national side of the Republic of Croatia as well as of the design of the common side of euro coins is permitted without the prior approval of the Croatian National Bank in the following cases:

  • on photographs, drawings, pictures, films and other reproductions in two-dimensional form and in flat form (without relief), provided that such reproduction represents a faithful representation of the design of the common side/the Croatian national side of euro coins and is used in a way that does not deform, mutilate or otherwise undermine the design of the commons side/the Croatian national side of euro coins
  • on the reproductions that contain relief on an object other than a coin, medal and token or any similar object which can be replaced with the euro coin
  • on tokens made of soft material or plastic, provided that they are at least 50% larger or smaller than the actual size of the corresponding euro coin.

 

REPRODUCTION RULES FOR KUNA CASH

The rules for the reproduction of the copyright in the design used on kuna cash are laid down in Article 36 of the Act on the Introduction of the Euro as the Official Currency in the Republic of Croatia (OG 57/2022 and 88/2022).

Article 36, paragraphs (3) and (4) of the Act on the Introduction of the Euro as the Official Currency in the Republic of Croatia (OG 57/2022 and 88/2022) defines the cases of permissible reproduction of banknotes and kuna and lipa circulation coins (hereinafter referred to as ‘kuna cash’) without the prior approval of the Croatian National Bank as follows:

a) the reproduction of the whole or a part of the design used on the kuna banknote shall be permitted without the prior approval of the Croatian National Bank in the following cases:

1. on one-sided reproductions, provided that they are equal or larger than 125%, or equal or smaller than 75% of the actual length and width of the kuna banknote

2. on double-sided reproductions, provided that they are equal or larger than 200%, or equal or smaller than 50% of the actual length and width, or equal of the kuna banknote

3. on certain reproductions of the part of the design used on the kuna banknote, provided that they are not on a background similar to the actual kuna banknote

4. on single-sided reproductions showing a part of the front or back of the kuna banknote, provided that such part is less than one third of the front or back of the actual kuna banknote

5. on reproductions made of a material which is clearly different from paper and which looks and feels particularly different from the material used for actual kuna banknotes

6. on intangible reproductions made available to the public in electronic form on websites, by wireless or wired means of communication, in a way making the intangible reproductions accessible to the public at any individually selected location and at any individually selected time, provided that:

a) the word SPECIMEN or SAMPLE is printed transversely on the obverse side and the reverse side over the sample of the design used on the kuna banknote in a clearly legible font,

b) the resolution of the electronically reproduced design used on the kuna banknote in its 100% size does not exceed 72 dots per inch (dpi),

c) the length of the word SPECIMEN or SAMPLE covers at least 75% of the length of the reproduced design used on the kuna banknote,

d) the length of the word SPECIMEN or SAMPLE covers at least 15% of the width of the reproduced design used on the kuna banknote, and

e) the word SPECIMEN or SAMPLE is shown in a non-transparent (opaque) colour that contrasts with the predominant colour of the actual kuna banknote.

b) the reproduction of the whole or a part of the design used on the kuna coin shall be permitted without the prior approval of the Croatian National Bank in the following cases:

1. on photographs, drawings, pictures, films and other reproductions in two-dimensional form and in flat form (without relief), provided that such reproduction represents a faithful representation of the design that is used on the kuna coin and in a way that does not deform, mutilate or otherwise undermine the design used on the euro coin

2. on the reproductions that contain relief on an object other than a coin, medal and token or any similar object which can be replaced with the euro coin

3. on tokens made of soft material or plastic, provided that they are at least 50% larger or smaller than the actual size of the corresponding euro coin.

All other cases of using the design used on kuna cash or euro coins require the prior approval of the Croatian National Bank.

The procedure of granting a decision on the approval of reproduction of kuna cash/euro coins is conducted before the Croatian National Bank as an administrative procedure in accordance with the General Administrative Procedure Act (OG 47/2009 and 110/2021). In accordance with the mentioned Act, prior to the reproduction of kuna cash/euro coins, it is necessary to submit an application on which the Croatian National Bank will decide within the prescribed time limit.

The application should contain the denominations, the years of issue of kuna cash/euro coins intended for reproduction as well as whether the obverse or the reverse, i.e. the obverse and the reverse of kuna cash/euro coins are intended for reproduction. It is also necessary to specify the intended use of the reproduction.

The application is submitted electronically to hrncc@hnb.hr or by post to the following address:

Hrvatska narodna banka
National Counterfeit, National Analysis and Coin National Analysis Centres
Trg hrvatskih velikana 3
PO Box 859
10000 Zagreb