Legalize2011/67/EU: Decision of the European Central Bank of 13 December 2010 on the issue of euro banknotes (recast) (ECB/2010/29)
Article 1
Definitions
For the purposes of this Decision:
- (a) ‘NCB’ means the national central bank of a Member State whose currency is the euro;
- (b) ‘euro banknotes’ means those banknotes complying with the requirements of Decision ECB/2003/4 and with the technical specifications laid down by the Governing Council;
- (c) ‘subscribed capital key’ means the NCBs’ shares (expressed as percentages) in the ECB’s subscribed capital that result from applying to the NCBs the weightings in the key referred to in Article 29.1 of the Statute of the ESCB and as applicable for the relevant financial year;
- (d) ‘banknote allocation key’ means the percentages that result from taking into account the ECB’s share in the total euro banknote issue and applying the subscribed capital key (rounded to the nearest multiple of 0,0005 of a percentage point) to the NCBs’ share in this total. Where the resulting percentages do not total 100 %, the difference shall be compensated for: (i) if the total is below 100 %, by adding 0,0005 of a percentage point to the smallest shares in ascending order until exactly 100 % is reached; or (ii) if the total is above 100 %, by subtracting 0,0005 of a percentage point in descending order from the largest shares until exactly 100 % is reached. Annex I to this Decision specifies the banknote allocation key that shall apply from 1 January 2026.
Article 2
Issue of euro banknotes
The ECB and the NCBs shall issue euro banknotes.
Article 3
Obligations of issuers
NCBs shall put into and withdraw from circulation euro banknotes, and perform any physical handling in relation to all euro banknotes, including those issued by the ECB.
NCBs shall accept all euro banknotes on the request of the holder for exchange against euro banknotes of the same value or, in the case of account holders, to be credited to accounts held at the recipient NCB.
NCBs shall treat all euro banknotes accepted by them as liabilities and process them in an identical manner.
NCBs shall not transfer euro banknotes accepted by them to other NCBs and shall keep such euro banknotes available for reissue. As an exception, and in accordance with any rules laid down by the ECB’s Governing Council:
- (a) mutilated, damaged, worn or withdrawn euro banknotes may be destroyed by the recipient NCB; and
- (b) euro banknotes held by NCBs may, for logistical reasons, be redistributed in bulk within the Eurosystem.
Article 4
Allocation of euro banknotes within the Eurosystem
The total value of euro banknotes in circulation shall be allocated to the Eurosystem members by application of the banknote allocation key.
The difference between the value of euro banknotes allocated to each NCB in accordance with the banknote allocation key and the value of the euro banknotes that such NCB puts into circulation shall give rise to intra-Eurosystem balances. The ECB shall hold intra-Eurosystem claims on NCBs in proportion to their shares in the subscribed capital key, for a value equivalent to the value of euro banknotes that it issues.
Article 5
Repeal
Decision ECB/2001/15 is repealed. References to the repealed Decision shall be construed as references to this Decision.
Article 6
Entry into force
This Decision shall enter into force on 1 January 2011.
ANNEX I
BANKNOTE ALLOCATION KEY FROM 1 JANUARY 2026
| European Central Bank | 8,0000 % |
| Nationale Bank van België/Banque Nationale de Belgique | 3,3360 % |
| Българска народна банка (Bulgarian National Bank) | 1,0875 % |
| Deutsche Bundesbank | 24,2095 % |
| Eesti Pank | 0,2710 % |
| Central Bank of Ireland | 1,9805 % |
| Bank of Greece | 2,0540 % |
| Banco de España | 10,7505 % |
| Banque de France | 18,1865 % |
| Hrvatska narodna banka | 0,7035 % |
| Banca d’Italia | 14,5640 % |
| Central Bank of Cyprus | 0,2005 % |
| Latvijas Banka | 0,3525 % |
| Lietuvos bankas | 0,5365 % |
| Banque centrale du Luxembourg | 0,3310 % |
| Central Bank of Malta | 0,1170 % |
| De Nederlandsche Bank | 5,3710 % |
| Oesterreichische Nationalbank | 2,6880 % |
| Banco de Portugal | 2,1140 % |
| Banka Slovenije | 0,4495 % |
| Národná banka Slovenska | 1,0455 % |
| Suomen Pankki | 1,6515 % |
| TOTAL | 100,0000 % |
ANNEX II
REPEALED DECISION AND SUCCESSIVE AMENDMENTS
| Decision ECB/2001/15 | OJ L 337, 20.12.2001, p. 52 |
| Decision ECB/2003/23 | OJ L 9, 15.1.2004, p. 40 |
| Decision ECB/2004/9 | OJ L 205, 9.6.2004, p. 17 |
| Decision ECB/2006/25 | OJ L 24, 31.1.2007, p. 13 |
| Decision ECB/2007/19 | OJ L 1, 4.1.2008, p. 7 |
| Decision ECB/2008/26 | OJ L 21, 24.1.2009, p. 75 |
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