Belgium and the Euro
Belgium became a founding member of the European Economic Community in 1957, and Brussels is home to many key European institutions, including the European Commission and the European Parliament. As one of the EU's founding members and the self-styled 'Capital of Europe', there is great support for EMU in Belgium. Belgians are used to the idea of monetary union, having shared a currency with Luxembourg since 1920. The euro's popularity is undisputed, with 70 per cent in favour of EMU, according to a survey in 1999.
The national designs on the Belgian euro coins represent elements of the coins previously in circulation. A national panel made up of leading Belgian officials, artists and experts in numismatics chose the motif used on all the coins. The Belgian euro coins feature only a single
design for all eight coins: the portrait or effigy of King Albert II of Belgium and his royal monogram (a capital 'A' underneath a crown). Also part of the design by Jan Alfons Keustermans (Director of the Municipal Academy of Fine Arts of Turnhout) are the 12 stars of the EU and the year of imprint.
In 2008, Belgium slightly modified the design in order to comply with the European Commission's guidelines. The coins of the second series also show King Albert II, but the royal monogram and the year of issuance now appear in the inner part of the coin, as do the mint marks and the country code for Belgium, 'BE'.
In 2014, Belgium introduced the third series of euro coins, which show King Philippe, his royal monogram 'FP' and the country code for Belgium, 'BE'. The mint marks appear on either side of the year of issuance. Edge lettering of the €2 coin: 2 **, repeated six times, alternately upright and inverted.
2017 Belgium 200th Anniversary of the Ghent University
2018 Belgium May 1968 civil protests
