Euro Sign
About Euro Sign
€ is called the "Euro Sign," the symbol representing the official currency of the European Union.
The Euro is the official currency of 20 European Union member states. The Euro sign € was designed in 1996, inspired by the Greek letter epsilon (ε) and the first letter E of Europe.
【Design Concept】The symbol consists of four core elements: the Greek letter ε (symbolizing the cradle of European civilization), the initial letter E (representing Europe), two parallel horizontal lines (symbolizing monetary stability), and a perfectly circular arc (representing the unity and harmony of the EU). The design was selected by the European Commission from 32 proposals and finalized by Belgian designer Alain Billiet.
【Issuance History】The Euro was officially created on January 1, 1999, initially used only for banking and financial transactions; on January 1, 2002, Euro banknotes and coins entered circulation, and the € sign began appearing in people's daily lives. The Eurozone currently covers approximately 350 million people, making it the world's second-largest reserve currency and second-most traded currency.
How to Type Euro Sign
Windows Input
Method 1: Hold Alt, type 0128 on the numeric keypad, release Alt
Method 2: Press AltGr + E (some keyboard layouts)
Method 3: Use input method to type ouyuan or euro and select €
Mac Input
Method 1: Press Shift + Option + 2
Method 2: Press Control + Command + Space to open the Emoji & Symbols panel, search "euro"
Method 3: Menu bar → Edit → Emoji & Symbols → Search "Euro Sign"
HTML Input
Use entity name or number: € or € or €
CSS Input
Use backslash escape in pseudo-elements: content: "\20AC"; or content: "€";
Euro Sign FAQ
Should the Euro sign be placed before or after the number?
The Euro sign is typically placed before the number, such as €50, though some countries have the convention of placing it after.
What is the design meaning of the Euro sign?
The € design combines the Greek letter epsilon (representing European civilization) and two parallel lines (representing stability), while also resembling the letter E.
Do all EU countries use the Euro?
No. Of the 27 EU member states, only 20 use the Euro as their official currency (the Eurozone). Countries like Denmark and Sweden have the right not to use the Euro, while Poland, Czech Republic, and others will join once conditions are met. Additionally, some non-EU countries such as Monaco and Vatican City also use the Euro.
What is the official color of the Euro sign?
The Euro sign has no officially prescribed color, but in the European Commission's official branding it is typically displayed in yellow (PMS Yellow) on a blue background, or blue on a white background. In practice, black and dark blue are most common.
How to quickly type the Euro sign in a Chinese language environment?
Typing "ouyuan" (Euro) using Pinyin input methods usually brings up the € symbol in the candidate list; you can also type the Unicode code point 20AC and press Alt+X (only in software like Word). Mac users can simply press Shift+Option+2.
What is the difference between the Euro sign and the Dollar sign in financial documents?
Beyond visual differences, under international standard ISO 4217, the currency code for Euro is EUR and for US Dollar is USD. In formal financial statements or programming, it is generally preferred to use EUR/USD codes to avoid encoding issues, with €/$ used only at the presentation layer.