Council Regulation (EC) No 1338/2001 of 28 June 2001 laying down measures necessary for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting (3) requires credit institutions and, within the limits of their payment activity, other payment service providers and any other institutions engaged in the processing and distribution to the public of notes and coins to ensure that euro notes and coins which they have received and which they intend to put back into circulation are checked for authenticity and that counterfeits are detected.
(2)
Commission Recommendation 2005/504/EC of 27 May 2005 concerning authentication of euro coins and handling of euro coins unfit for circulation (4) provides for recommended practices regarding the authentication of euro coins and the handling of euro coins unfit for circulation. However, the lack of a mandatory common framework for coin authentication results in different practices among Member States and cannot, therefore, ensure uniform protection of the currency throughout the euro area.
(3)
To achieve effective and uniform authentication of euro coins throughout the euro area it is therefore necessary to introduce binding rules for the implementation of common procedures for the authentication of euro coins in circulation and for the implementation of control mechanisms of those procedures by the national authorities.
(4)
During the authentication process, genuine euro coins that are unfit for circulation should also be identified. The circulation of unfit coins makes them more difficult to use, particularly in coin-operated machines, and may create confusion for the users as to the authenticity of those coins. Unfit coins should be removed from circulation. Common binding rules for Member States are therefore necessary for handling and reimbursing euro coins unfit for circulation.
(5)
To coordinate the implementation of the authentication procedures, the details of testing and training requirements for coin authentication, the specifications for checking euro coins unfit for circulation and other practical implementation provisions should be further determined by the European Technical and Scientific Centre (ETSC) established by Commission Decision 2005/37/EC (5), after having consulted the counterfeit coin experts group referred to in that Decision.
(6)
To allow for a gradual adjustment of their current system of rules and practices to the provisions of this Regulation, the Member States should, during a transitional period until 31 December 2014, be able to provide for derogations regarding the types of coin-processing machines to be used for the authentication of euro coins and for the number of those machines to be checked annually.
(7)
Each national authority handling euro coins unfit for circulation should be able to apply a handling fee in accordance with this Regulation in order to meet the expenses related to the process. Handling fees should not be applied to the submissions of small quantities of euro coins unfit for circulation. Member States should be able to provide for exemptions from handling fees for persons which cooperate closely with the authorities in removing counterfeit or unfit coins from circulation. Member States should be able to accept bags or boxes of mixed counterfeit and unfit coins without applying a surcharge if this serves public interest.
(8)
It should be for each Member State to introduce applicable penalties for infringements, with a view to achieving equivalent authentication of euro coins and handling of euro coins unfit for circulation throughout the euro area.
(9)
Since the objective of this Regulation, namely effective and uniform authentication of euro coins throughout the euro area, cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States due to the differences in national practices and can therefore be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective,
