Euro
Euro may boost Hungary growth report shows
HUNGARY - Joining the euro could boost economic growth in Hungary by between 0.6 to 0.9 percentage points annually for 20 years, according to a report published yesterday by the National Bank of Hungary, the central bank.
Don't use stability pact as scapegoat, says Issing
GERMANY - The chief economist of the European Central Bank launched a staunch defence of the euro area fiscal stability and growth pact on Monday, accusing politicians of using it as a "scapegoat" for their own failures.
Why Britain should join the euro
REPORT - Joining the euro will deliver rising prosperity for Britain - but failing to do so soon will put our hard-won economic success at risk, a group of Britain's leading economists argue in a report published 15 October by pro-European campaign group…
Financial structures in the euro area
REPORT - The European Central Bank (ECB) released a report on financial structures in the euro area on 25 October. The report describes the financial structure of the euro area as a whole and of the individual euro area countries, recent developments in…
UK industry shows sharp rise in support for euro
UK - Enthusiasm for the euro has risen sharply among Britain's manufacturers in the past 18 months, judging by a survey released on Monday.
National Bank of Hungary paper on the euro
RESEARCH - National Bank of Hungary Occasional Papers - 'Adopting the euro in Hungary: expected costs, benefits and timing', edited by Attila Csajbok and Agnes Csermely and released on 28 October.
Lobby group warns UK on delaying euro entry
UK - Eight out of the 10 states poised to join the European Union could be ready for euro membership by 2007, increasing the risk that the UK will be isolated unless it joins soon, according to Britain in Europe.
Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee Minutes
MINUTES - Minutes of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee Meeting released on 23 October for the meeting of 9 and 10 October 2002. The nine MPC members voted on a proposal to maintain the repo rate at 4.0%. Six voted in favour of this, however…
Federal Reserve Board Discussion Paper
RESEARCH - 'Monetary Union, Price Level Convergence, and Inflation: How Close is Europe to the United States?' by John H. Rogers, published 21 October. In the article the author examines the decline in European price level dispersion and whether this…
The inconsistency of the anti-euro lobby
ARTICLE - Consider these two assertions. We cannot possibly join the euro because sterling is grotesquely overvalued - locking in today's exchange rate would condemn the economy to stagnation. Giving up sterling would be madness - robbing Britain of a…
Why the euro numbers do not add up
UK - Baffled voters waiting to be persuaded by the economic evidence how they should vote in a referendum on the euro have been left in a state of even deeper confusion this week.
A hard test for Britain's euro advocates
ARTICLE - The euro is not just about our economy but our destiny. We should only join the euro if the economic tests are met. That is clear. But if the tests are passed, we go for it." Thus did Tony Blair state his goal and the constraint upon it in his…
Polish central bank wants Poland in euro zone 2006
POLAND - The Polish National Bank (NBP) wants Poland to join the euro zone in 2006, but does not rule out that the entry will take a year later, PAP News Agency reported NBP Deputy Governor Andrzej Bratkowski as saying on Tuesday.
Speech by Wim Duisenberg, ECB President, 24 Sep
SPEECH - Duisenberg said in a speech titled 'The first nine months of the euro cash era' that the he introduction of the euro banknotes and coins has been a major success. Euro banknotes make visible the Monetary Union and the close financial integration…
BIS head Crockett warns UK on euro rate
UK - Andrew Crockett, a strong candidate to become the next governor of the Bank of England, has cautioned that competitiveness could be hit if the UK joins the euro at too high an exchange rate.
Yugoslav central bank rejects devaluation talk
YUGOSLAVIA - Yugoslav National Bank governor Mladjan Dinkic on Thursday rejected all speculation about the devaluation of the national currency, the dinar, saying that it "will remain stable over the next 10 years until it is replaced by the euro after…
Report claims the euro may cause skin allergy
SWITZERLAND - Euro coins give some people a skin rash and a group of Swiss scientists have just released their research findings as to why this happens.
Duisenberg rules out imminent interest rate cut
EUROPE - The president of the European Central Bank, Mr Wim Duisenberg, has ruled out any imminent cut in interest rates to accelerate economic growth across the euro zone.
Report says single currency boosts trade
UK - The creation of the euro has boosted trade between eurozone countries significantly, according to new research, reinforcing the argument that the single currency has created a more genuine single market in Europe.
ECB leader Sirkka Hamalainen criticises banks
FINLAND - Sirkka Hamalainen, a member of the Executive Board of the European Central Bank and the former Governor of the Bank of Finland, criticised banks and national authorities in the euro zone for hindering integration in financial markets.
European Central Bank Publication
PUBLICATION - The European Central Bank has published it's euro banknotes and coins, brochure, August 2002.
Poland: Fin Min, central bank want fast euro entry
POLAND - A joint finance ministry and Polish National Bank team that is preparing an exchange rate strategy before Poland's entry to the European Union, agreed that Poland should join the euro zone as a matter of urgency, Deputy Finance Minister Ryszard…
Sweden moves a step closer to joining the euro
SWEDEN - Sweden's prime minister, Goran Persson, on Friday removed another obstacle towards membership of the euro single currency.
New currency expected soon to replace the Afghani
AFGHANISTAN - A new Afghan currency printed in Germany and resembling the Euro is being introduced shortly to replace the almost valueless Afghani, reported Gulf News on Monday.