Alain Billiet (b. 1951, Bruges, Belgium) is the alleged designer of the euro sign (€). Sometimes referred to as the Venice of the North, Bruges has many waterways that run through the city. ... The euro (€; ISO 4217 code EUR) is the currency of twelve of the twenty-five nations that form the European Union (and four outside it, as well as Montenegro and Kosovo), which form the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). ...

The logo was proposed by the European Commission at the Summit of Dublin in 1996. Alain Billiet realized under the direction of project leader Jean-Pierre Malivoir a series of eight projects among which was the final logo. The European Commission (formally the Commission of the European Communities) is the executive body of the European Union. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

However, the actual origin of the design is disputed. There is evidence that it bases on a study by Arthur Eisenmenger. The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ...