Brussels, 08/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - France and Italy are organising a seminar on protecting the euro in the Mediterranean basin. This will take place from Monday to Thursday 10 June in Palermo. Spain, France and Italy account for 70% of forged currency in Europe. In 2009, the European Central Bank (ECB) identified a total of 860,000 false notes in the whole of the European Union. This is a 24% increase in volume compared to 2008. Several European countries are participating in this seminar - Cyprus, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Malta and Portugal, as well as four third countries - Algeria, Israel, Morocco and Turkey. The ECB and the national banks from France and Italy will also be present in Palermo, in addition to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), Interpol and Europol. A joint operation recently carried out between Europol and the Irish police led to the arrest of several forgers and the dismantling of a print works manufacturing false euros in Ireland. The material seized had the potential of producing around 200 million counterfeit euro notes. (B.C./transl.fl)