Euro
News Analysis: Euro cash in demand
Nick Carver reports on the sharp rise in euro banknotes in circulation.
Hungary cuts rates by half percent
The central bank of Hungary reduced the base rate by half a percentage point, from 11.5 pe rcent to 11 per cent, when it met on 16 August. While the central bank pointed to improvements in the economy as the cause, it is thought that a desire to weaken…
Duisenberg plans visit to Kuala Lumpur
Former European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg will visit Kuala Lumpur in September to deliver a talk on "The Euro and Asia", to be hosted by ABN AMRO Bank Bhd, the Malaysian Dutch Business Council (MDBC) and the Royal Netherlands Embassy, Bernama…
NBP urges faster spending cuts for euro in 2009
Poland should move ahead quicker with its spending-reduction plan to cut the budget deficit and allow the largest new European Union member to adopt the euro before 2009, deputy governor of the National Bank of Poland (NBP) Krzysztof Rybinski said.
Dutch and Belgians plan to scrap small change
The Netherlands and Belgium have indicated that they will soon scrap the one and two cent euro coins, EUobserver reports.
Prodi defends independence of ECB
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his compatriot Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, have locked swords over the strength of the euro and European Central Bank interest rate policy during the G8 summit of industrialized nations…
Interview: Leszek Balcerowicz
In conversation with the editor, the president of the National Bank of Poland explains why he believes in taking the shortest route possible to the euro.
Interview: Christodoulos Christodoulou
Cyprus is ready to be one of the first accession countries to join the euro, says governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus.
Convergence report
Wayward deficits in the larger economies have forced a retreat from earlier dates for joining the euro. Analysis of central bank strategies, speeches and statistics suggest that Slovenia, Cyprus and the Baltic states will vie to be the first in.
SNB's Roth: Euro's positive global influence
Swiss National Bank (SNB) governing board chairman Jean-Pierre Roth said that the euro has had a "positive global influence", including on Switzerland, since its introduction in 1999.
Padoa-Schioppa on European financial integration
In the panel session "Drivers of European Financial Integration - Markets or Policy?" at the ECB-CFS research network on 11 May Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa said the central bank of the euro has provided a fundamental contribution to the integration of…
ECB's Tumpel-Gugerell on five years of the euro
In a speech on 'Five Years of the Euro: Successes and New Challenges' given on 14 May, Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell of the ECB said sharp swings in the foreign exchange value of the euro are having an impact on the eurozone economy.
Trichet on the international role of the euro
In a speech on 'The international role of the euro' given on 14 May, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said the position on currency developments spelled out in the last two G-7 communiques in February and April remains valid.
ECB signs agreement with Interpol
The President of the ECB, Jean-Claude Trichet, and the Secretary General of Interpol, Ronald K. Noble, have signed an agreement aimed at ensuring effective co-operation between both parties in the protection of the euro and the fight against…
Issing says rate split suggestions 'sci-fi'
European Central Bank (ECB) chief economist Otmar Issing expressed concern on Thursday 29 April about sluggish growth in the 12-nation eurozone and dismissed suggestion of splits in the ECB over interests rates as "science fiction."
Chicago Fed's Moskow on five years of the euro
In opening remarks to the "Five Years of the Euro: Successes and New Challenges" Conference given on 26 April Michael Moskow of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago said the five-year-old shared euro currency continues to pose challenges for its member…
Balcerowicz says Polish euro entry may be delayed
Poland's national bank President Leszek Balcerowicz said the country may not be ready to adopt the euro by 2007 because the government has failed to cut spending.
Paris seminar on the EU accession process
The fifth central bank seminar on the European Union (EU) accession process was held in Paris on 4 and 5 March 2004. The purpose of this seminar was to exchange views on important central banking issues ahead of EU accession.
Trichet on the EU accession process
Speaking at the 'Paris seminar on the EU accession process' on 4 March, Jean-Claude Trichet of the ECB said that as European central bankers, our destiny is intertwined with the destiny of our continent. As Europe is being rebuilt and reunited, so we are…
Jarai: Hungary further and further away from 2008
President Zsigmond Jarai of the National Bank of Hungary said in a TV interview that Hungary is slipping "further and further away" from the introduction of the euro in 2008.
Buba's Stark says strong euro is not export burden
The Vice-President of Germany's Bundesbank Juergen Stark said on Wednesday 25 February that the strong euro did not have too much of an impact on exports and that the eurozone was slowly recovering.
France's Noyer reassures over 'very stable' euro
Bank of France governor Christian Noyer played down the rise of the euro on Wednesday 25 February, saying the rate was "very stable" and that the exchange rate was not far from the launch rate of the euro in 1999.
Hungary's Jarai: euro accession by 2008 difficult
President of the National Bank of Hungary Zsigmond Jarai said on Monday 23 February that considerable sacrifices will need to be made if Hungary is to join the eurozone in 2008.
Czech PM does not see euro entry before 2009
Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla has said his country will aim to adopt the euro by 2009 at the earliest. This is two years later than the timetable agreed last year.