ECB says forgers favouring 20-euro notes

Up to now, the €50 has always been the most counterfeited banknote; during this half year, however, there has been a significant rise in the proportion of counterfeits of €20 banknotes and a corresponding fall in the proportions of €50 and €100 counterfeits, the ECB's figures showed. Thus, during the second half of 2005, the €20 and the €50 together accounted for 84% of all counterfeits found in circulation.

The figures showed that the level of counterfeiting has remained stable for over two years.

Furthermore, these figures should be seen in the context of a gradual increase in the number of genuine banknotes in circulation, the ECB said.

There has been no significant change to the overall distribution pattern: as in previous half years, 97% of counterfeits in circulation were found in the euro area; a further 1% came from other EU Member States outside the euro area; and 2% came from the "rest of the world", mainly from countries neighbouring the EU.