Checks by Member States

1. Member States should check the unfit coins submitted for:

the quantity declared for each of the bags/boxes,

authenticity, with a view to ensuring that there are no counterfeits,

visual appearance, to determine that they are in line with the provisions of Article 7.

2. Checks for the quantity of coins submitted should be performed by weighing each bag/box. A tolerance range of – 2 % and + 1 % should be applied to the nominal weight of the standard packaging referred to in the second paragraph of Article 9. An equivalent control should be applied when national packaging conventions are different from the above standards. Additionally, each bag/box should be checked for visible anomalies.

In the event that the weight of the bag/box is outside the tolerance range, the entire quantity of the concerned bag/box will need to be processed.

3. Checks for authenticity and visual appearance may be conducted through sampling. As a minimum, a representative sample of 10 % of the quantities submitted should be checked for the denominations of EUR 2, EUR 1, EUR 0,50, EUR 0,20 and EUR 0,10.

4. Checks for authenticity should be performed on the samples mentioned in paragraph 3 by means of the following procedures:

in the case of mechanical/automatic sorting, the machines should be adjusted according to the procedures provided for in Part II of this Recommendation;

in other cases, the criteria of the CNACs are applied.

In the event that one counterfeit is detected, the entire quantity in the bag/box will need to be authenticated.

5. Checks for visual appearance should be performed on the samples mentioned in paragraph 3 with a view to determining whether a bag/box shows anomalies, such as wrongly sorted coins, non-euro coins or euro coins with a non-identifiable denomination. In case such anomalies occur at a proportion greater than 1 %, the relevant bag/box should be re-checked and the proportion of non-reimbursable coins determined by means of one of the following methods:

the entire quantity of coins in each concerned bag/box is examined manually, in a way defined by the competent national authorities;

a 10 % sample from the bag/box, additional to the one provided for in paragraph 3, is checked for visual appearance. The combined proportion of non-reimbursable coins counted in the two samples is then extended to the entire content of the bag/box.

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION of 27 May 2005 concerning authentication of euro coins and handling of euro coins unfit for circulation (notified under document number C(2005) 1540) (2005/504/EC)