Banknotes
Euros become majority currency in Ireland
IRELAND - The amount of euros in circulation has for the first time surpassed the amount of pounds in circulation, according to latest figures from the Central Bank of Ireland. At close of business on Thursday, the Central Bank had issued 148 million…
China mulls boosting euro reserves
CHINA - Just as the initial euphoria from the introduction of notes and coins wears off, the euro has received a boost from news that China could be buying more euros to reduce its reliance on the dollar.
5m euros are stolen in three months
EUROPE - Armed gangs and other criminals have stolen Euros 5m ( £3.1m) in the three months since minting and printing of euro notes and coins began, and the situation is set to worsen, European police have warned.
Speech by Governor of the National Bank of Belgium
SPEECH - Speech by Guy Quaden, Governor of the National Bank of Belgium in Ottawa, 30 November. In the speech titled 'The Monetary Policy of the European Central Bank and the Economic outlook in the Euro Area' Guy Quaden said that the introduction of…
ECB Noyer - Little M3 impact from euro changeover
GERMANY - European Central Bank Vice President Christian Noyer said Thursday that the bank doesn't expect the changeover to euro notes and coins next year to have a significant impact on M3 money supply growth.
ECB post findings on how rate moves affect economy
GERMANY - Ordinary Europeans may quickly get used to the new euro notes and coins that begin circulating in a few weeks, but it may be years before the European Central Bank fully understands the functioning of the new economy created by the common…
Euro changeover may affect Sterling exchange rate
JAPAN - The introduction of euro notes and coins may have implications for the euro-sterling exchange rate, according to Bank of England's director for Europe, John Townend who was speaking in Tokyo.
Row threatens Finland's euro launch
FINLAND - A row between banks and retailers in Finland is threatening to disrupt the launch euro notes and coins.
Brussels more confident of successful euro switch
EUROPE - With euro notes and coins less than 50 days away, the European Commission yesterday expressed optimism about a successful changeover from national currencies. The latest monthly Eurobarometer survey registered growing understanding of the single…
Error rate high with euro notes trial in France
FRANCE - Two months before euro notes and coins come into circulation, the financial community is concerned that cashiers in shops and banks will not be ready to use euros and detect fake notes from 1 January.
Dutch plan euro giveaway
NETHERLANDS - On 1 January 2002 the euro finally becomes legal tender in 12 different countries. More than 15 billion euro notes and 50 billion coins will be delivered to banks around Europe over the next few weeks in preparation.
Trichet unveils Bank of France euro info campaign
FRANCE - Bank of France Governor Jean-Claude Trichet Wednesday 5 Sep unveiled the French leg of a euro-zone-wide campaign to publicise the switchover to euro notes and coins at the beginning of 2002.
New notes pose problems for cash machines
SPAIN - Spain's Azkoyen, one of the world's leading cigarette and vending machine producers, is already cashing in on next January's launch of euro notes and coins.
Pre - euro flood of forgeries is feared
EUROPE - Gangs of counterfeiters are set to offload fake francs, D-Marks and other eurozone currencies before the changeover to euro notes and coins in January, retailers have been warned.
CB to work out ideas for commercial banks on euro
HUNGARY - The National Bank of Hungary (MNB) is preparing recommendations to commercial banks regarding the introduction of euro coins and notes in 12 EU member states as of 1 January 2002, MNB spokesperson Gabor Missura said.
Euro € - Portugal says it won't print large notes
PORTUGAL - Portugal's central bank has rejected printing the largest denomination euro notes because it believes people will shun them, a spokesman said on 9 July.
Europe can learn from UK's decimal currency switch
UK - The conversion to a decimal currency in Britain in 1971 may have lessons for the introduction of euro notes and coins in January next year.
Readiness for euro may be falling
EUROPE - Fewer European companies say they are ready for the introduction of euro notes and coins now than a year ago, according to a survey of big businesses in the euro-zone.
Putting euro banknotes and coins into circulation
Speech - Eugenio Domingo Solans, Member of the Governing Council and the Executive Board of the European Central Bank delivered a speech at the Euro 2002 Information Campaign conference hosted by the Banco de Portugal on 15 May.
Parliament worries over euro note chaos
Fears are growing that the introduction of euro notes and coins on 1 January 2001 will create logistical nightmares for eurozone authorities.
ECB agrees 10% increase of euro notes production
The European Central Bank on Mar 15, 2001 said it approved a 10 percent increase in the production of euro banknotes to create an additional reserve and help smooth the changeover to euro cash.
Joint euro steering group to tackle counterfeiters
The European Central Bank, European Commission and Europol on Mar 7, 2001 said they had jointly developed an action plan to combat would-be euro cash counterfeiters.
Bank of France denies euro printing problems
The Bank of France on Mar 5, 2001 denied a senior politician's claim that France might not print its full quota of euro banknotes by the time the single currency goes into circulation on January 1, 2002.
ECB says output of euro banknotes is on schedule
The European Central Bank insisted that production of euro banknotes is on schedule, rejecting a newspaper report that said printing problems could leave European nations short for the introduction of the notes on Jan. 1, 2002.