Silver Coin 200 CZK Czech Accession to the European Union 2004 Proof

Entry of the Czech Republic into the European Union

The author of the obverse side of the design is Mr Josef Oplištil, the author of the reverse side of the design is Mr Jakub Vlček. On the obverse side of the bicrown, the composition of heraldic animals from the state emblem of the Czech Republic and the denomination of the coin with the abbreviation of the monetary unit "200 CZK" are in the middle. Around the composition of heraldic animals and the nominal value, the name of the state is in the description, and at the edges of the coin there are also 12 five-pointed stars symbolising the European Union in the description. The depiction and inscriptions are complemented by the mint mark and the initials of the author of the design of this side.

The reverse of the coin features four lines of stylised symbols characteristic of the existing Member States of the European Union, with one blank space between them to symbolise the openness of the Union to other countries. The description at the edges of the bicentenary includes the text 'Czech Republic joins the European Union' , the date '1 May 2004' and the author's mark of the design of this side.

The application to join the European Union was submitted by the Government of the Czech Republic on 17 January 1996. On behalf of the Czech Republic, the application was presented by Prime Minister Václav Klaus in Rome on 23 January 1996. Subsequently, on 26 April 1996, Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec received the European Commission's questionnaire for the preparation of an assessment of the application. The questionnaire was completed and submitted in December 1996.

The formal invitation of the eleven candidate countries (Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia) was decided by the EU Member States' representatives at a meeting on 13 December 1997 in Luxembourg.

The Accession Treaty was signed on 16 April 2003 in Athens in the presence of President Václav Klaus and Prime Minister Vladimír Špidla. The Treaty was further ratified by the national parliaments of the fifteen old Member States. In the new Member States, except Cyprus, the Treaty was approved by referendums. In the Czech Republic, the referendum was held from Friday 13 June to Saturday 14 June 2003. 77.3% of the voters were in favour of the Treaty. The turnout was 55.2%. The Constitutional Court received a total of 28 complaints about the conduct of the referendum. 13 did not meet the legal requirements and the court further examined the remaining complaints, which it then found to be unfounded (it found no reason why the referendum should be illegal). Following the Constitutional Court's opinion, President Václav Klaus confirmed the validity of the referendum in July 2003. The Treaty entered into force a year later on 1 May 2004.

Each silver coin is stored in a protective plastic capsule and placed in a dark blue box along with a certificate of authenticity from the CNB.