Memo: European Parliament committee backs Commission proposal to protect euro from counterfeiting

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) on 17 December 2013 backed a European Commission proposal to better protect the euro from counterfeiting through the use of criminal law measures.

The proposal aims to crack down on criminals who counterfeit euro notes and coins – a crime estimated to have cost at least €500 million over the past decade. New measures would include strengthening cross-border investigations and introducing minimum rules on penalties, including imprisonment, for the most serious counterfeiting offences. The draft law would also enable the analysis of seized forgeries during judicial proceedings in order to detect further counterfeit euros in circulation.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: European Commission strengthens the protection of the euro by means of criminal law http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-european-commission-strengthens-the-protection-of-the-euro-by-means-of-criminal-law/

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