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Survey: Give us back our currency
LONDON, England -- Many Germans and Dutch want their old currencies back, a year after the euro came into circulation in 12 EU countries, according to a survey for European Internet company Tiscali. It found that 57 percent of Germans and 55 percent of the Dutch are keen to see the return of the mark and guilder. And 76 percent of respondents from across the euro-zone say the euro has led to price increases. But the French and Belgians are largely "happy" with the euro, according to the survey of more than 14,000 people across Europe by researchers Novatris. On January 1, 2002, the citizens of Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain replaced their own currencies with the euro. The euro was adopted as a common currency on January 1, 1999, when it began trading on global foreign exchange markets. However, euro coins and notes were only introduced from 2002. Many Europeans have since complained that retailers took advantage of the switch to hike prices. European Commission President Romano Prodi said earlier this week that price rises were due to a lack of control by individual governments. In the UK, Prime Minister Tony Blair will call a referendum to decide whether to adopt the euro. Of the survey's 3,000 UK respondents, 54 percent say they do not want to join the single currency. In his New Year's Day message to the country, Blair said joining the single currency could be the most important decision facing this generation. He said the political case was "overwhelming'' but that hard economics were the crucial factor. "This year we will face what may be the single most important decision that faces this political generation -- the question of whether to join the euro,'' said Blair. "We see no constitutional bar to joining and the political case for entry is overwhelming. But ultimately it is an economic union, and it is an economic case that must be made. We will publish our assessment by June.'' Denmark, which like Britain and Sweden decided not to join the single currency at its launch, should vote on whether to join the single currency in 2004 or 2005, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Wednesday. Neighbour Sweden decided in November 2002 to hold a euro referendum on September 14, 2003.
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