
Article 1 
The European Technical and Scientific Centre (ETSC) is established within the Commission in Brussels, attached to OLAF.
Article 2 
The ETSC shall analyse and classify every new type of counterfeit euro coin in line with the provisions of Article 5 of Regulation (EC) 1338/2001. It contributes to the fulfilment of the objectives of the Pericles programme pursuant to Article 4 of Decision 2001/923/EC. It assists the Coin National Analysis Centres (CNAC) and the law-enforcement authorities and collaborates with the relevant authorities in the analysis of counterfeit euro coins and the strengthening of protection.
Article 3 
The principles on which the organisation of the ETSC will be based are the following:

— The Commission may second members of its personnel to the French Mint in order to use its facilities for the analysis of coins.
— In accomplishing its functions, the ETSC will be able to use the personnel and equipment of the French Coin National Analysis Centre and the laboratory of the French Mint in Pessac. The French authorities will place the appropriate personnel and equipment at the disposal of the ETSC as a priority.
— Under the applicable financial regulations, the part of the expenses attributable to the work carried out by the ETSC will be charged to the general budget of the European Communities. Since France will provide the abovementioned personnel, premises and equipment and will be responsible for their maintenance, the Community budget will meet the salaries of the personnel recruited by the Commission, travelling expenses and sundry minor current expenditure.
OLAF shall define, in cooperation with the French Mint, the rules and administrative modalities applicable to the ETSC.
Article 4 
The Commission shall coordinate the necessary actions to protect euro coins against counterfeiting through periodic meetings of counterfeit coin experts.
The Economic and Financial Committee, the European Central Bank, Europol and the competent national authorities shall be kept regularly informed of the ETSC’s activities and of the situation as regards coin counterfeiting.
Done at Brussels, 29 October 2004.
For the Commission
Michaele SCHREYER
Member of the Commission