Ireland · 50 years of the Treaties of Rome

Issue date25 Mar 2007

Total mintage4,650,112

EU maximum4,820,000

Editions4

Edge lettering2 ★ ★ × 6, alternating upright/inverted

InscriptionConradh na nÓgimhe / 50 blian / an euro / ÉIRE 2007

DesignerHelmut Andexlinger

mintCentral Bank Currency Centre, Sandyford, Ireland PP: Suomen Rahapaja OY, Vantaa, Finnland (ohne Mz.)

Issue occasion

The commemorative coin marks the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which was signed in Rome on 25 March 1957 by the six founding members. The design shows the treaty document against the star-shaped paving of the Piazza del Campidoglio designed by Michelangelo. Above it is “Europe” in the respective national language; the outer ring bears the twelve stars of the European Union.

The design

The coin features at its centre the treaty document signed by the six founding members, against the background of the star-shaped paving of the Piazza del Campidoglio in Rome, designed by Michelangelo, where the treaty was signed on 25 March 1957. Directly above the treaty document, the word “Europe” is inscribed in the respective language. The inscriptions above and below the overall design indicate the occasion for issue and the issuing country, respectively, in the respective language version(s), as well as the year 2007. The coin’s outer ring bears the twelve stars of the European Union.

Background on the topic

The term “Treaties of Rome (Römische Verträge)” refers to two agreements: the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community (EWG) and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). The parties to the treaties were Belgium, the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland), France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The signing took place at the Palazzo dei Conservatori on the Capitoline Hill.

The treaties were part of the Western European integration process after the Second World War. Even before this, the six states had placed key areas of heavy industry under a common framework through the European Coal and Steel Community (Europäische Gemeinschaft für Kohle und Stahl). Following the failure of more ambitious plans for a European Defence Community (europäische Verteidigungsgemeinschaft), the governments focused on economic cooperation. The new treaties were prepared, among other things, by the Messina Conference (Konferenz von Messina) and a committee chaired by the Belgian politician Paul-Henri Spaak.

The EWG was intended to gradually create a common market. This included the abolition of customs duties between the member states, a common external tariff, and rules governing competition, agriculture and trade. In the long term, the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital was envisaged. The common institutions included a Commission, a Council of Ministers, a parliamentary assembly and a Court of Justice. Euratom, by contrast, was intended to coordinate cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, promote research and monitor the supply of nuclear materials.

The EWG later developed into the European Community (Europäische Gemeinschaft). With the Treaty of Maastricht, it became part of the European Union (Europäische Union); its responsibilities ultimately became part of today’s EU. The institutional and economic foundations of European unification therefore date back in substantial part to the Treaties of Rome.

For the coin issue, the euro-area states decided for the first time on a common design for the national sides of 2-euro commemorative coins. This not only commemorated a historic treaty anniversary. The coordinated issue also established a connection between the common currency and the political and economic integration from which the euro emerged. Because of the common occasion, the coin was exceptionally permitted to appear in addition to another national commemorative coin of the respective country.