30dec 2008
EK o zavedení eura na Slovensku
Brussels, 29 December 2008
In less than three days Slovakia adopts the euro; euro turns 10
In less than three days, the euro area will have two reasons to celebrate:
the number of European Union countries that share the same currency will
grow to 16 with Slovakia and it will be the 10th anniversary of the euro.
Slovakia will adopt the euro on the 1st of January, becoming the 16th EU
country to do so after 11 launched the common currency 10 years ago. On
New Year's day 328.6 million people out of the EU's 499.7 million will
share the euro.
the number of European Union countries that share the same currency will
grow to 16 with Slovakia and it will be the 10th anniversary of the euro.
Slovakia will adopt the euro on the 1st of January, becoming the 16th EU
country to do so after 11 launched the common currency 10 years ago. On
New Year's day 328.6 million people out of the EU's 499.7 million will
share the euro.
"I am very happy that we will celebrate the euro's 10th anniversary by
welcoming Slovakia as a new member. Slovakia is about to take a historic
step forward, for all its citizens and for Europe. Joining the euro will
place Slovakia at the economic and political heart of Europe, less than
five years after joining the European Union. This is a superb achievement
and I look forward enormously to welcoming all Slovakians into the euro
area", said Commission President José-Manuel Barroso.
"The 1st of January 2009 will be a proud moment for the euro area and for
the EU as a whole as Slovakia becomes the 16th country to adopt the euro
and the European currency celebrates its 10th anniversary. The euro has
become the symbol of EU identity and is protecting us against the
tremendous external shocks that we have had to cope with since the summer
of 2007. We should be proud of that record and we safeguard the sound
budgetary and macroeconomic framework that has made the euro such a
success," said Joaquín Almunia, European Commissioner for Economic and
Monetary Affairs.
The euro was created in 1999 when 11 countries irrevocably locked the
bilateral exchange rates of their currencies and equipped themselves with
a single monetary and exchange rate policy. The European Central Bank was
created six months earlier. The banknotes and coins were introduced in
2002. Slovakia will adopt it at a rate of 30.1260 Slovak koruna to the
euro. Before it, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta also made the euro their
money.
The euro has been a great success. Overall and notwithstanding the present
challenging times, it has delivered greater price stability and lower
interest rates than ever before for the countries, people and businesses
that share it. It helped create a record 16 million jobs and enabled us to
enter into the current crisis with the lowest unemployment rate and the
best budgetary position in a long time. Of course, we can and we must
improve Economic and Monetary Union to make it even more successful in the
next decade and beyond, as the EMU@10 Communication and Report of May 2008
shows all too well.
welcoming Slovakia as a new member. Slovakia is about to take a historic
step forward, for all its citizens and for Europe. Joining the euro will
place Slovakia at the economic and political heart of Europe, less than
five years after joining the European Union. This is a superb achievement
and I look forward enormously to welcoming all Slovakians into the euro
area", said Commission President José-Manuel Barroso.
"The 1st of January 2009 will be a proud moment for the euro area and for
the EU as a whole as Slovakia becomes the 16th country to adopt the euro
and the European currency celebrates its 10th anniversary. The euro has
become the symbol of EU identity and is protecting us against the
tremendous external shocks that we have had to cope with since the summer
of 2007. We should be proud of that record and we safeguard the sound
budgetary and macroeconomic framework that has made the euro such a
success," said Joaquín Almunia, European Commissioner for Economic and
Monetary Affairs.
The euro was created in 1999 when 11 countries irrevocably locked the
bilateral exchange rates of their currencies and equipped themselves with
a single monetary and exchange rate policy. The European Central Bank was
created six months earlier. The banknotes and coins were introduced in
2002. Slovakia will adopt it at a rate of 30.1260 Slovak koruna to the
euro. Before it, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta also made the euro their
money.
The euro has been a great success. Overall and notwithstanding the present
challenging times, it has delivered greater price stability and lower
interest rates than ever before for the countries, people and businesses
that share it. It helped create a record 16 million jobs and enabled us to
enter into the current crisis with the lowest unemployment rate and the
best budgetary position in a long time. Of course, we can and we must
improve Economic and Monetary Union to make it even more successful in the
next decade and beyond, as the EMU@10 Communication and Report of May 2008
shows all too well.
€2 commemorative coin and euro documentary
To celebrate the euro anniversary, euro area countries will issue in
January a €2 commemorative coin, which design was selected through a
popular web vote organised by the Commission.
A lively television documentary has also been commissioned on the origins
and history of the euro, its benefits and how it is perceived. It is
available for download on the website of the Economic and Financial
Affairs Directorate General.
January a €2 commemorative coin, which design was selected through a
popular web vote organised by the Commission.
A lively television documentary has also been commissioned on the origins
and history of the euro, its benefits and how it is perceived. It is
available for download on the website of the Economic and Financial
Affairs Directorate General.
Slovakia ready for € changeover
Preparations for the euro in Slovakia are now completed. Commercial banks
received the banknotes and coins from September and have supplied them to
shops and other businesses so that they handle payments and return change
in euro from the 1st of January.
Citizens were able to buy mini kits of euro coins to acquaint themselves
with their new currency. They also benefited from a large information
campaign, including TV spots and a touring information bus. Their concerns
about price increases were taken seriously by the Slovak authorities that
put in place a number of measures, including an Ethical Code signed by
business whereby they undertake to respect the changeover rules. The
display of prices in both euro and koruna is compulsory since 24 August
and until 1 January 2010. The respect of the changeover rules is carefully
monitored by the Slovak Trade Inspection, which has visited more than
15,000 shops and service providers since August. The inspectors corrected
shortcomings in dual display of prices when found and checked on price
movements, particularly in sensitive sectors where problems were
experienced in the previous changeovers. The Association of Slovak
Consumers also plays a key role in checking price developments. The
Commission actively supported the communication campaign under a
Partnership agreement of December 2007.
Businesses and public administrations prepared themselves well in advance
and their personnel were duly trained (especially for those in direct
contact with the public).
To facilitate the changeover, the National Bank of Slovakia and commercial
banks will be exceptionally open on 1 January as well as on the weekend of
3-4 January.
President Barroso, Commissioner Almunia and Education Commissioner and
Slovak national Ján Figel will attend a ceremony in the Slovak capital
Bratislava, on 8 January, to celebrate the adoption of the euro by
Slovakia.
President Barroso's and Commissioner Almunia's message of congratulations
and welcome to Slovakian citizens can be seen at:
http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/ebs/schedule.cfm
For detailed information on Slovakia's euro changeover see IP/08/1959 and: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/thematic_articles/article13563_en.htm
Commission's 8th Report on the Practical Preparations for the Changeover http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/thematic_articles/article13510_en.htm
Slovak national changeover web site: www.euromena.sk
For more information on the euro and its benefits see DG ECFIN's website http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/euro/our_currency_en.htm
The 10-year anniversary special 'EMU@10' website: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/emu10/index_en.htm
To see €2 commemorative coin: http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/thematic_articles/article11072_en.htm
For the documentary on the euro: (http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/emu10/documentary.htm) .
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