Europa 2000 stamps

In the year 2000 the postal organisation of Europe or CEPT decided to go for a common design for the Europa stamps being issued. Europa stamps are stamps issued by European countries (who are members of CEPT) that are valid for postage within Europe. A little quirky perhaps having a stamp for Europe, but then they have been having this for some years now.

So for year 2000 the french design was chosen for the stamp, and this design was replicated on the stamps of some 45 countries in the CEPT plus also by some not in it. And some like Great Britain, Norway chose not to issue any Europa stamp that year. And some like Yugoslavia and Bulgaria issued stamps without this desgn on it.

2000 was the year I started stamp collecting as a hobby, and also the year India finally allowed the use of credit cards outside of India. So I came across this Europa 2000 design in almost all brochures and then decided I have these stamps in my collection. I now stamps from 52 countries or domains. Totalling 55 stamps since some of the countries have issued these in two denominations.

I started buying these since 2000, so in 2000 17 countries, 2001 10, 2002 4, 2003 4, 2004 1, 2005 3 and in 2006 13 countries.
Of these 18 I bought from 4 stamp dealers (1 in India), 6 on eBay but all the rest from the respective stamp administration. I have collected only those which had issued with the star design on it. I now have four countries still left.