Euro changeover: Agreement with Croatia on practical steps for the start of euro coin production

The European Commission and euro area Member States have today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Croatia outlining the practical steps that will allow the country to begin producing euro coins when it receives the go ahead to join the euro area. This represents an important milestone in Croatia’s efforts to join the euro area.

The MoU was signed by Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis, Commissioner Gentiloni, President of the Eurogroup Paschal Donohoe and Croatian National Bank Governor Boris Vujčić in a ceremony which followed the meeting of the Eurogroup which took place earlier today in Brdo, Slovenia.

The MoU allows Croatia, with the assistance of the Commission and euro area Member States, to carry out all the necessary preparations ahead of and up to the actual minting of euro coins. These include, among others: the selection by Croatia of its euro coin national side designs according to national procedures; the acquisition and production of minting tools and coin test runs; and arrangements for the distribution of euro coins and the withdrawal of the Croatian kuna during the changeover.