When was the new currency issued?

Conversion to the euro was one of the largest projects of the European Union. It involved a massive publicity campaign and a logistical exercise extending across 12 nations and over 300 million people. In many eurozone countries the euro was made available to clearing banks and major corporations during late Autumn 2001. The currency formally entered into circulation on January 1, 2002 and ran in parallel with national currencies until the end of February 2002.