NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      BRUSSELS (CWNews.com) - The European Union on Monday said the Vatican City-State could commission new euro coins in 2002 bearing it's own seal, ending a debate over whether certain small European countries could join the new monetary union.

      The Vatican and the republic of San Marino currently have their coinage minted by the Bank of Italy and Monaco has its money minted by the Bank of France. On January 1, 2000, the three countries will hand that responsibility over to the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. "The Commission recommends the EU allows these countries to use the euro as their official currency and to grant legal tender status to euro banknotes and coins," the EU executive said in a statement.

      A controversy had originally arisen over the inclusion of religious designs on euro currency, as is likely for the Vatican coins, as well as allowing the three countries to participate in the monetary union with becoming members of the EU. But the ruling allows the three small countries to have their own designs on the back of euro coins, just as member states will. The euro bills will conform to the agreed-upon standard of uniformity without national symbols.