View source for Euro sign

{{Short description|Currency sign}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Redirect|€|the currency|Euro}}
{{Infobox currency sign
|mark=€
|currency = [[Euro]]
|unicode={{unichar|20AC|Euro sign|html=}}  
|see also= {{unichar|20A0|EURO-CURRENCY SIGN|nlink=European Currency Unit|html=}} (predecessor).
}}
The '''euro sign''' ({{char|'''€'''}}) is the [[currency sign]] used for the [[euro]], the official currency of the [[eurozone]]. The design was presented to the public by the [[European Commission]] on 12 December 1996. It consists of a stylized letter [[E]] (or [[epsilon]]), crossed by two lines instead of one. Depending on convention in each nation, the symbol can either precede or follow  the value, e.g., ''€10'' or ''10{{nbsp}}€'', often with an intervening space.

==Design==
[[File:Euro Construction.svg|thumb|right|Graphic construction of the euro logo]]
[[File:Moreeurofonts.svg|thumb|right|The euro sign in a selection of [[typeface]]s]]
[[File:Euro logo plus character.png|thumb|right|The euro sign; [[logotype]] and [[handwriting|handwritten]]]]
There were originally 30 proposed designs for a symbol for Europe's new common currency; the Commission short-listed these to ten candidates. These ten were put to a public survey. The [[President of the European Commission]] at the time ([[Jacques Santer]]) and the European Commissioner with responsibility for the euro ([[Yves-Thibault de Silguy]]) then chose the winning design.<ref>{{cite web |title=The euro, our currency {{!}} A symbol for the European currency |date=18 March 2009  |access-date=8 April 2023 |publisher=European Commission |url=https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/events/2009/theeuro/isola3_en2008-2009.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408212632/https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/events/2009/theeuro/isola3_en2008-2009.pdf |archive-date=8 April 2023}}</ref> The other designs that were considered are not available for the public to view, nor is any information regarding the designers available for public query. The Commission considers the process of designing to have been internal and keeps these records secret. The eventual winner was a design created by a team of four experts whose identities have not been revealed. ''[[Gazet van Antwerpen]]'' has attributed the symbol to Belgian graphic designer Alain Billiet.<ref>{{cite news |title=Belg Alain Billiet ontwierp het euroteken |trans-title=The Belgian Alain Billet designed the euro sign |date=10 October 2001 |newspaper=[[Gazet van Antwerpen]] |url=http://asp.gva.be/dossiers/-e/euroinvoer/euro43.asp |access-date=24 September 2011 |language=nl |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120401103459/http://asp.gva.be/dossiers/-e/euroinvoer/euro43.asp |archive-date=1 April 2012}}</ref>

{{blockquote|The symbol € is based on the Greek letter epsilon ({{sic|Є|hide=y|expected=[[Epsilon|ϵ or ε]], but the official site uses [[Ukrainian Ye]] for some reason.}}), with the first letter in the word "Europe" and with 2 parallel lines signifying stability.||title=|source=[[European Union]]<ref>{{cite web |title=The Euro – Design |url=https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/euro/design_en |website=European Union |publisher=European Commission |access-date=28 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326065705/https://european-union.europa.eu/institutions-law-budget/euro/design_en |archive-date=26 March 2023}}</ref>}}

The official story of the design history of the euro sign is disputed by [[Arthur Eisenmenger]], a former chief graphic designer for the [[European Economic Community]], who says he had the idea 25 years before the Commission's decision.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4325292-102275,00.html |title=Observer {{pipe}} Inventor who coined euro sign fights for recognition |work= [[The Observer]] |date=23 December 2001 |access-date=21 August 2009 |location=London |first=Kate |last=Connolly |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071223212419/http://observer.guardian.co.uk/print/0,3858,4325292-102275,00.html |archive-date=23 December 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Commission specified a euro logo with exact proportions and colours ([[Pantone Matching System|PMS]] Yellow foreground, PMS Reflex Blue background<ref name="ec.europa.eu">{{cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/euro/cash/symbol/index_en.htm |title=European Commission – Economic and Financial Affairs – How to use the euro name and symbol |publisher=Ec.europa.eu |access-date=7 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529042108/http://ec.europa.eu:80/economy_finance/euro/cash/symbol/index_en.htm|archive-date=29 May 2010}}</ref>), for use in public-relations material related to the euro introduction. While the Commission intended the logo to be a prescribed [[glyph]] shape, type designers made it clear that they intended instead to adapt the design to be consistent with the [[typeface]]s to which it was to be added.<ref>{{cite web |title=Typographers discuss the euro |url=https://www.evertype.com/standards/euro/eurotypo.html |website=Evertype |access-date=28 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230222002244/https://www.evertype.com/standards/euro/eurotypo.html |archive-date=22 February 2023 |date=December 1996}}</ref>

==Use on computers and mobile phones==
The euro is represented in [[Unicode]] as {{unichar|20AC}}. In modern computer systems and mobile phones, this is the only [[codepoint]] used. When first introduced, however, work to retrofit the symbol into crowded pre-existing [[character set]] standards and vendor-specific schemas presented challenges that were not fully resolved until widespread adoption of Unicode.

===History of implementation===
Initially, different vendors assigned the euro sign to different code positions in their historic encoding schemes. This led to many initial problems displaying the euro sign consistently in computer applications, depending on access method. While displaying the euro sign was no problem as long as only one system was used (provided an up-to-date [[computer font]] with the proper [[glyph]] was available), but mixed setups often produced errors. Initially, Apple, Microsoft and Unix systems chose a different code point to represent a euro symbol: thus a user of one system might have seen a euro symbol whereas (when the file was transferred) another would see a different symbol or nothing at all. In such situations character set conversions had to be made, often introducing conversion errors such as a [[question mark]] ⟨?⟩ being displayed instead of a euro sign.

Initially, some mobile phone companies issued an interim software update for their special [[Short message service|SMS]] character set, replacing the less-frequent Japanese [[yen sign]] with the euro sign. Subsequent mobile phones have both currency signs.

===Entry methods===
Depending on [[keyboard layout]] and the operating system, there is a variety of ways to enter the symbol. The symbol is engraved on most keyboards used in Europe. (For entry methods in other territories, please refer to local sources or the article [[Unicode input]].) <!-- Per [[WP:NOTHOW]], it is not appropriate to have a list of the many and various ways to enter the symbol. -->

==Use==
{{see also|Language and the euro}}
[[File:The Europa series 50 € reverse side.png|thumb|right|Euro sign appears in the top-left corner of a [[50 euro note|€50 banknote]] ]]
[[File:La2-euro.jpg|thumb|left|A [[Euro-Skulptur|euro light sculpture]] at the [[European Central Bank]] in [[Frankfurt Rhine-Main|Frankfurt]]|alt=]]

Placement of the sign varies. Countries have generally continued the style used for their former currencies. In those countries where previous convention was to place the currency sign before the figure, the euro sign is placed in the same position (e.g., €3.50).<ref>[http://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/1178 Euro: valutateken voor of achter het bedrag?], [[Nederlandse Taalunie]]. Retrieved 21 December 2006.</ref> In those countries where the amount preceded the national currency sign, the euro sign is again placed in that relative position (e.g., 3,50&nbsp;€).

In English, the euro sign{{snd}}like the [[dollar sign]] ⟨$⟩ and the [[pound sign]] ⟨£⟩{{snd}}is usually placed before the figure, unspaced,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/style-guide/currencies|title= The Economist Style Guide: Currencies| newspaper= [[The Economist]]| access-date= 16 April 2012| archive-date= 13 April 2012| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120413231837/http://www.economist.com/style-guide/currencies| url-status= dead}}</ref> the reverse of usage in many other European languages. When written out, "euro" is placed after the value in lower case; the plural is used for two or more units, and euro cents are [[Decimal separator|separated with a full-stop, not a comma]] as in many countries (e.g., ''€1.50'', ''14 euros''). The European Union's ''[[Institutions of the European Union|Interinstitutional]] [[Style Guide]]'' (for EU staff) states that the euro sign should be placed in front of the amount without any space in English, but after the amount in most other languages.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://style-guide.europa.eu/en/content/-/isg/topic?identifier=7.3.3-rules-for-expressing-monetary-units|title=Publications Office – Interinstitutional style guide – 7.3.3. Rules for expressing monetary units|publisher=Publications Office - OP/B.3/CRI|website=style-guide.europa.eu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://style-guide.europa.eu/de/content/-/isg/topic?identifier=7.3.3-rules-for-expressing-monetary-units|title=Amt für Veröffentlichungen – Interinstitutionelle Regeln für Veröffentlichungen – 7.3.3 Schreibregeln für Währungsbezeichnungen|website=style-guide.europa.eu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://style-guide.europa.eu/es/content/-/isg/topic?identifier=7.3.3-rules-for-expressing-monetary-units|title=Oficina de Publicaciones — Libro de estilo interinstitucional — 7.3.3. Normas de escritura de las referencias monetarias|website=style-guide.europa.eu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://style-guide.europa.eu/fr/content/-/isg/topic?identifier=7.3.3-rules-for-expressing-monetary-units|title=Office des publications — Code de rédaction interinstitutionnel — 7.3.3. Règles d'écriture des références monétaires|website=style-guide.europa.eu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://style-guide.europa.eu/it/content/-/isg/topic?identifier=7.3.3-rules-for-expressing-monetary-units|title=Ufficio delle pubblicazioni — Manuale interistituzionale di convenzioni redazionali — 7.3.3. Regole di scrittura dei riferimenti monetari|website=style-guide.europa.eu}}</ref>

Prices of items costing less than one euro are often written using a local abbreviation like {{char|ct.}} (particularly in Spain and Lithuania); {{char|c.}} (Ireland);  {{char|Λ}} (Greece ([[lambda]]));  {{char|snt.}} or written {{char|-,}} without any symbol (Finland). For example, 10 cents may be written as {{char|10 ct.}}, {{char|10c.}}, {{char|10Λ}}, {{char|10 snt.}}  or {{char|-,10}}, depending on location. The US style {{char|¢}} is rarely seen in formal contexts. In all cases, prices may be written as decimals, e.g. {{char|€0.07}} or {{char|0,07 €}}, according to [[Language and the euro|national conventions]].
<!---
In Standard English:
*€0.10 (amount)
*€-0.10 (negative)
*-€0.10 (discount)
-->
{{clear}}

==See also==
* {{section link|Currency symbol|List of currency symbols currently in use}}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Euro sign}}
* [https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/euro/cash/symbol/index_en.htm Euro name and symbol], Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs of the European Commission
* [https://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/publication_summary6125_en.htm Communication from the Commission: The use of the Euro symbol], July 1997, Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs of the European Commission

{{Currency signs}}
{{EU symbols}}
{{Euro topics}}

[[Category:Currency symbols]]
[[Category:Euro]]
[[Category:Symbols introduced in 1996]]
[[Category:Symbols of the European Union]]