Coins
Euro coins out in Austria ahead of official launch
AUSTRIA - A small volume of euro-denominated coins have already entered into circulation amongst the general public in Austria. This is despite the fact that starter packs of euro coins are not officially due to be released to private citizens until mid…
The trouble with moving cash
ARTICLE - As Europe prepares to launch euro notes and coins on 1 January, 2002, even the slightest hiccup produces cries of alarm. So when shipments of coins to branches of Societe Generale did not tally with the amounts being debited from its account at…
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.
U.S. coins to cease circulation in Cuba
UNITED STATES - U.S. dollar coins will be taken out of circulation from the Cuban foreign currency commercial network as of October, the island's Central Bank reported 28 August.
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.
Euro's launch vital to debate in Sweden
SWEDEN - Goran Persson, Sweden's Social Democratic prime minister, believes the Scandinavian country could be a member of the single currency by 2005 if next January's introduction of euro notes and coins is a success.
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.
Duisenberg says euro zone not hit by U.S. slowdown
European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg said on Mar 5, 2001 there were no firm signs that the U.S. economic slowdown was spilling over to the euro zone and that there was little likelihood of a near term change in interest rates.
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.
Large value Taiwan note will not trigger inflation
The issuance of a new NT$2,000 note in July 2001 will not trigger inflation, a financial official said Feb 16, 2001. In an attempt to allay fears that the debut of the large-denominated note will accelerate inflation, Wu Shaw-chii, director-general of…
ECB slams banks over cross-border payment charges
The European Central Bank on Feb. 8, 2001 accused commercial banks of persistently overcharging retail customers for cross-border payments and said it may have to step in unless fees are cut substantially this year. The ECB said in its February report…
Bank of Korea says fake note cases doubled in 2000
Due to the fast spread of computer scanners and colour printers, the number of note forgery cases more than doubled in 2000, the Bank of Korea said on Feb 8, 2001.The number of note counterfeiting cases jumped to 160 in 2000 from 68 cases in 1999, the…
Belgium finalises euro note, coin switchover plans
Belgium announced on Feb 6, 2001, its final plans for the switch to euro notes and coins in 2002, a mammoth logistical task which is set to mobilise all 12 euro zone countries in the second half of this year. Belgium's "Euro Commission" said banks and…
Cash launch to boost public support for euro-Noyer
European Central Bank Vice President Christian Noyer said on Feb. 2 that public support of the single currency would grow with the introduction of euro notes and coins from January 1, 2002. Echoing earlier comments from other ECB officials, Noyer said it…
New ECB website on introduction of euro notes, coin
The European Central Bank on Feb. 1, 2001, unveiled a new website as part of its campaign to prepare the public in the 12 euro-zone states for the introduction of notes and coins from January 1, 2002.The website, with the address www.euro.ecb.int, has…