Euro, Money and Currency conversion

Since 1999, 11 State-members of the European Union adopted the Euro currency. By 2010, there are 16 members in total, including: Portugal, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia.


Symbol

In a shape of an E (for Europe) and crossed by two parallel and horizontal lines, the Euro symbol was inspired on the Greek letter epsilon. This is an attempt to evoke the birth of Europe and its civilisation, with the two lines symbolising the stability of Europe and the EU.

The Euro

On the 1st of January 2000, the Euro currency started circulation in the first 11 member-states. The coins have a European common side, whilst the other was designed by each member-state with some symbols of each country to differentiate their origin and nationality. However, they are accepted in all countries that have accepted the Euro as the national currency.

Bank notes and coins

There are 7 different bank notes: 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5; and 8 different coins: 2 euros, 1 euro, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1 cents.
Both bank notes and coins were designed to suit people with visual disabilities.