The number of forged euros withdrawn from circulation in the 12 countries that adopted the single currency is increasing, but the figure remains modest in comparison with the scale of the pre-single currency phenomenon. The anti-fraud Office of Brussels (OLAF) has published the data on forged currency: 2,339 coins were withdrawn in 2002, the year of the introduction of the euro; 26,191 in 2003; but the figure jumped to 74,564 in 2004. Over the last twelve months, the national Banks withdrew from circulation, in collaboration with the competent national authorities and the police forces, 858 fifty-cent coins, 9,103 one-euro coins, and 64,603 two-euro coins. The activity of control is the responsibility of the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, in collaboration with the central banks of the individual states. According to the OLAF report, “the two-euro coin is the most forged. The German version of the coin was the one most reproduced in 2004, followed by the national ‘face’ of France, Spain, Belgium, Italy and Austria”. The coins withdrawn, however, are but a tiny fraction of the 55 billion genuine coins in circulation. The authorities have also discovered over the last twelve months three laboratories that were producing forged coins, two in Italy and one in Spain. The problem of the forging of banknotes however remains. According to the latest date, it is not only “simpler” but also more “convenient” for the forgers. During 2004 a total of 594,000 banknotes, subdivided between the 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 euro denominations, were withdrawn. Rarer are the forgeries of the 200 and 500 euro banknotes, which are generally subjected to more rigorous controls by banks, citizens and shopkeepers.
