The French government is attempting to block a coin commemorating the Battle of Waterloo, claiming it is a "symbol that is negative" and would undermine the unity of the eurozone.

In an extraordinary intervention, France wants to block plans for a €2 coin to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the historic battle fought by the Duke of Wellington against Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815.

A draft design of the coin was submitted to the Council of the European Union by Belgium, the site of the battle, in February this year.

However, just days later France objected to the coin, claiming it could cause "hostile reactions in France" and undermine the eurozone.

"The Battle of Waterloo is an event with particular resonance in the collective conscience, going beyond a simple military conflict," the letter states.

"The circulation of coins carrying a symbol that is negative for a fraction of the European population to us appears prejudicial, in a context where the governments of the Eurozone are trying to strengthen unity and co-operation throughout the monetary union."

The Battle of Waterloo on June 18, 1815 stopped the advance of Napoleon across Europe and sent the French emperor into exile for a second and final time.

The battle was fought near the town of Waterloo in modern-day Belgium.

To read the complete article, see:
French try to block Battle of Waterloo coin (www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11462782/French-try-to-block-Battle-of-Waterloo-coin.html)

The attempt to block the coin was met with defiance by ex-defence minister Sir Gerald Howarth.

He told The Sun: 'This is an absolutely absurd thing to do. The battle was the salvation of Europe from a tyrannical threat.'

Sir Peter Luff, the Tory MP for Mid Worcestershire, added: 'I'm delighted the Eurozone should celebrate the failure of France to create a super-state.

Brussels has struggled to find evocative designs for Euro notes and coins because there are no true EU figures respected across the continent.

Choosing a famous person or even a monument from one country risked offending others, so the notes portray bland, undefinable architectural shapes and a simple map of Europe.

Coins have a map of Europe on one side, while each country chooses a design for the other.

David Pickup adds:

To read the complete article, see:
Is this the euro's Waterloo? Paris tries to block coin marking 200th anniversary of Napoleon's final defeat because it will upset the French people (www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2989209/Paris-tries-block-Waterloo-200th-anniversary-coin-upset-French-people.html)

Two hundred years after Napoleon's ambitions to rule Europe died at Waterloo, France won a small battle on Wednesday to prevent the minting of a euro coin commemorating an event that shaped today's continent.

Belgium withdrew a proposal to strike a special 2-euro piece in honour of the Anglo-Dutch-German victory outside Brussels on 18 June, 1815, an EU official said, averting an EU ministerial vote after Paris objected on the grounds that glorifying a time of conflict ran counter to efforts to foster European unity.

There was no immediate comment from France, which last year struck a commemorative 2-euro coin marking the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings that helped end Nazi German hegemony.

To read the complete article, see:
France wins second 'battle of Waterloo' after commemoration coin dropped (www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/12/france-wins-second-battle-of-waterloo-after-commemoration-coin-dropped)