SINGLE CURRENCY: EUROPOL REPORTS FEW INSTANCES OF EURO COUNTERFEITING.

Between January and June 2002, the law enforcement agencies in the Member States reported over 400 cases of Euro counterfeiting and 116 related arrests to the European police office Europol. Announcing the figures on July 31, Europol said the total was far less than it had originally anticipated. It says that 21,965 counterfeit Euro banknotes were recorded - less than 7% of the total number of counterfeits of old national currencies reported for the same period in 2001. The quality of counterfeit Euro banknotes has generally been low as the numerous security features of Euro banknotes makes...