Ecofin Council meeting of EU economics and finance ministers formally gave the go-ahead for Estonia to adopt the euro from 1 January 2011. This follows the Commission and ECB's positive assessment of Estonia's progress on euro convergence in May.
The European Commission concluded on 12 May 2010 that Estonia meets the criteria for adopting the euro and made a proposal to the Council to this effect.
Winning Design of the Estonian Euro Coins. In December 2004 Governor of Eesti Pank, Vahur Kraft, disclosed the winner of the competition for the design of the national side of Estonian euro coins. The design depicts contours of Estonian map and a word "Eesti" which means "Estonia".
Latvia’s target date for introducing the euro is 1 January 2014, the country’s Cabinet of Ministers decided on 16 March. The target is subject to Latvia meeting the necessary euro entry conditions. A one-month period of dual circulation is envisaged for the prospective changeover to the European single currency to allow citizens to use both lats and euro cash.
A renegotiated monetary agreement between the EU and the Vatican City State entered into force on 1 January, doubling the Vatican's allowed issuance of euro coins.
The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs is organising a photo competition on the theme of “The euro: What does it mean to us?”. The contest is for 14-18-year-olds resident in the European Union working together in teams of two or three.
The new commemorative 2 Euro coin of Spain, Historic Centre of Cordoba, belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage series. The coin shows the inside of the Mosque of Cordoba, representative of Muslim architecture.
The new commemorative 2 Euro coin of Germany, to be issued in 2010, depicts the Town Hall of Bremen and the Statue of Roland. This is the 5th issue which belongs to the German Bundeslander series.
The Finnish Ministry of Finance has decided to issue a commemorative 2 Euro coin in celebration of the year 1809, in honour of the 200th anniversary of Finnish autonomy and the founding of Central Governmental Institutions in Finland.
