State of practical preparations (June 2007)
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Poland
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Румъния
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Changeover plan
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National target date for euro adoption
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2014
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National co-ordinating institution
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Inter-institutional working group Ministry of Finance / national central bank.
Note: The national central bank established the 'Bureau for the Integration with the Euro Area', the main task of which is to prepare a report on Poland's membership in the euro area. The report, which is planned to be finalised by the end of 2008, will notably define the optimal conditions for the adoption of the euro in Poland and provide guidance for decisions taken in the process of the adoption of the euro
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(Approved) National Changeover Plan
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Changeover details
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Type of scenario
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Dual circulation period
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Exchange of national banknotes and coins
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Campaign for rapid withdrawal of national banknotes and coins
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Frontloading and sub-frontloading
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ATMs issuing euro only
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Change in euro only
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Dual display of prices
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Consumer confidence building measures (e.g. agreements with retailers)
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Adaptation of national law
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Euro banknotes and coins
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Design of the national side
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Public survey.
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Nr of different coin designs
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Coin supplier
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National Mint.
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Estimation on the need for banknotes and coins
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Between 4 and 5 billion coins.
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Комуникационни дейности
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Communication strategy
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Addresses of websites on euro changeover, activation date:
Government/Ministry of Finance;
Central Bank
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Partnership agreement
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Other issues
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ERM II entry
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Twinning agreement
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Between DE – PL: communication and information strategy and practical issues.
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State of practical preparations (June 2007)
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Словакия
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Sweden
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Changeover plan
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National target date for euro adoption
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1 януари 2009 г.
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Not decided.
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National co-ordinating institution
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The National Coordination Committee is the supreme managing and coordination body preparing the euro changeover. It is chaired by the Minister of Finance (being the National Coordinator for the changeover) and the Governor of the Bank of Slovakia.
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(Approved) National Changeover Plan
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The first version of the National Changeover Plan was approved on 6 July 2005. On 21 March 2007, the government endorsed an update of this plan:
http://www.nbs.sk/EURINT/EURO/NP_AKT.PDF (Slovak)
http://www.nbs.sk/ZAKLNBS/PUBLIK/BROZURY/NARPLANA.PDF (English).
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Changeover details
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Type of scenario
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"Big bang".
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Dual circulation period
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16 days.
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Exchange of national banknotes and coins
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Commercial banks exchange banknotes until end 2009 and coins until June 2009 (free of charge). The Central Bank exchanges banknotes without time limit and coins for 5 years.
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Campaign for rapid withdrawal of national banknotes and coins
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Frontloading and sub-frontloading
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Commercial banks will be able to receive from the National Bank of Slovakia frontloaded supplies of euro coins from September 2008 and supplies of euro banknotes from mid-November 2008. The sub-frontloading of the retail sector will take place in November to December 2008.
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ATMs issuing euro only
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As of €-day ATMs will dispense euro only.
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Change in euro only
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Change will be given in euro only.
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Dual display of prices
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Compulsory: from one month after the fixing of the conversion rate to one year after euro adoption. Voluntary: for further 6 months.
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Consumer confidence building measures (e.g. agreements with retailers)
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Evolution of prices in 2008 and 2009 will be closely monitored; consumers will be informed of the results; consumers can raise complaints with supervisory bodies or apply to the courts; voluntary ethical code has been drafted with retailers and entrepreneurs.
With the aim of facilitating the euro changeover for citizens and of protecting them against unjustified price increases, the Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic prepared a 'White Paper on Consumer Protection in the euro changeover process'.
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Adaptation of national law
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'Umbrella law' is planned to be adopted by the end of 2007 so that it could be effective from 1 January 2008. The necessary amendments to existing legislation have been identified by January 2006 and are envisaged to be adopted in 2008 at the latest.
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Euro banknotes and coins
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Design of the national side
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Final design of the national side for the euro coins was chosen by public tender followed by an opinion poll and announced in December 2005. Slightly revised designs were approved in April 2007.
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Nr of different coin designs
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Three designs.
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Coin supplier
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National Mint.
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Estimation on the need for banknotes and coins
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188 million banknotes, 400 million coins.
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Комуникационни дейности
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Communication strategy
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Communication strategy on the euro introduction in the Slovak Republic is part of the National Changeover Plan.
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Addresses of websites on euro changeover, activation date:
Government/Ministry of Finance;
Central Bank
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http://www.nbs.sk/EURINT/EURO/INDEX.HTM
http://www.nbs.sk/MEDZINAR/EU/INDEXA.HTM
http://www.finance.gov.sk/En/Default.aspx
www.euro.gov.sk
www.euromena.sk
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Partnership agreement
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Other issues
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ERM II entry
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1 януари 2009 г.
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Twinning agreement
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Between AU – SK: communication and information strategy (finalised);
Between BE – SK: technical issues related to the changeover (finalised).
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ANNEX 3
Euro coins designs of the future national sides of Slovakia, Malta and Cyprus
Cyprus
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2 euro, 1 euro
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50 cent, 20 cent, 10 cent
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5 cent, 20 cent, 1 cent
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Malta
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2 euro, 1 euro
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50 cent, 20 cent, 10 cent
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5 cent, 20 cent, 1 cent
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Словакия
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2 euro, 1 euro
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50 cent, 20 cent, 10 cent
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5 cent, 20 cent, 1 cent
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ANNEX 4
Information and communication policy at Community level
The European Commission has continued to implement a whole range of communication activities on the euro and EMU in close co-operation with Member States and other Community institutions. In particular it continued to implement partnership agreements with a number of Member States preparing for the introduction of the euro: Slovenia, Estonia, Lithuania, Malta and Cyprus. The partnership agreement with Slovenia was successfully brought to a close following the introduction of the euro on 1 January 2007, and discussions are now at an advanced stage with the Slovak Republic for the conclusion of a new partnership agreement in the second half of the year.
The purpose of the partnership agreements is to provide technical and financial support to the Member States for their national euro communication campaigns. They provide the framework within which the Commission supports various activities developed by the national authorities, such as publications, media campaigns, promotional material, conferences and seminars, competitions, opinion polls, etc. The Commission also concluded grant agreements in June with Malta and Cyprus to co-finance their national communication activities.
The Commission has also, since the beginning of the year, conducted on its own account a number of activities linked to the enlargement of the euro area, such as opinion polls and surveys, conferences, and seminars for journalists both in Brussels and in the Member States. It has also produced brochures, posters, CD-ROMS and promotional material for the general public18 and a new website dedicated to the euro19. Moreover, it has developed a new exhibition on the euro and EMU which will travel to various Member States, starting in Malta in June/July and in Cyprus after the summer break.
Preparing citizens in Cyprus and Malta for the euro introduction has been a priority for the Commission's communication policy in the first half of 2007 and will continue to be so for the remainder of the year.
ANNEX 5
Състояние на общественото мнение в наскоро присъединилите се държави-членки
The European Commission commissioned a Eurobarometer survey on public opinion in the recently acceded Member States concerning their attitudes towards and knowledge about the introduction of the euro, and Gallup Europe conducted the survey at the end of March 200720. It was the fifth such Eurobarometer survey (following the ones in September 2004 and 2005 as well as in April and September 2006). Slovenia was no longer covered since it adopted the euro on 1 January 2007. Bulgaria and Romania, however, were covered for the first time, having joined the EU on the same date. In total, over 11 000 randomly selected citizens were interviewed.
1. Familiarity with and knowledge about the euro
The March 2007 results broadly confirm the results of the previous surveys as to familiarity and knowledge about the euro. Respondents were relatively familiar with the common currency: 77% had already seen euro banknotes of which some 62% had already used them, and 68% had already seen euro coins of which 60% had used them already. The usage of euro banknotes and coins was as usual particularly high in the Czech Republic, Cyprus and Malta – and also this time in Romania.
In addition to these practical aspects, the survey also tested the respondents' knowledge of the euro's general features. Here the results were mixed. More respondents than in the last survey were aware that the design of banknotes was the same in all countries (50%, up from 45%) but fewer people knew about the partly different designs of euro coins (31%, down from 37% in autumn 2006). The enlargement of the euro area to Slovenia unsurprisingly increased the uncertainty as to how many euro-area Member States there are. Only 28% of the interviewees were able to give the correct answer of 13 countries (down from 40% in autumn 2006) while 25% did not know, up from 17% previously. A relatively stable majority of citizens (64%, previously 67%) in the surveyed countries believed that their country had the option of deciding whether it would adopt the euro or not.
Regarding the expected date of introduction of the euro, the results show a continued shift since 2006, corresponding to actual developments. An overwhelming majority in Cyprus and Malta expect the euro to be adopted in those countries in 2008, which is indeed the official national target date, and a strong majority in Slovakia expect euro adoption in 2009. The absence of national target dates in most other countries results in very diverging expectations among the population, reflecting the high degree of uncertainty.
2. Perceptions of and support for the single European currency
Similarly to previous 2006 findings, citizens in the recently acceded Member States are prepared – at least mentally – to have their currency replaced by the euro: 48% were very or rather happy about a future changeover, which is comparable to April and September 2006. The trends vary strongly from one country to another, with the relative share of citizens happy about the euro changeover increasing in five of the eleven recently acceded Member States compared to the results of the autumn 2006 survey. Most notably, the support increased in Cyprus by 8 percentage points to a support rate of 40% and in Malta by 6 percentage points to a support rate of 54%. The level of support in the other four countries had slightly decreased or remained unchanged from September 2006 (no comparison can be made in the case of Bulgaria and Romania since they were covered here for the first time).
Generally, citizens expect that the euro will be more positive for their country than for themselves as individuals. 53% (up from 50% in autumn 2006) think that it will have a rather or very positive effect for the country. 48% (up from 44%) expect very or rather positive consequences for themselves personally. Only 24% of the respondents would like the euro to become their currency as soon as possible.
3. Expectations and fears regarding the adoption of the euro
The September results broadly confirm previous surveys as regards citizens' expectations of the euro. There is still a broadly shared recognition in the recently acceded Member States of the euro’s status as an international currency and that there are a number of benefits associated with their country's adoption of the euro.
The questionnaire was changed this time to differentiate more clearly between expectations of one-off changeover effects in the short term, and expectations of medium- and long-term effects on prices. Thus, while in the previous survey only 28% believed that the euro would help maintain price stability, this time 55% identified ensuring price stability as one of the main advantages of the euro. On the other hand, the survey sends a clear message about the fears during the changeover period: 75% thought that the euro will increase prices when first introduced.
Regarding the euro's economic or political effects, respondents generally acknowledge that positive effects will appear in the area of public finances (46%, +2). Citizens also seem to be more positive about the impact of the euro on growth and employment: now 43% (+3) think it will improve the situation in this area while 36% (-3) think it will have a negative effect.
4. Information and information channels
The results of the March 2007 survey reveal a slight decrease in the perceived information level on average. 37% of the respondents thought that they were rather or very well informed (40% in autumn 2006) while 61% think they are not (up from 58%). This is due both to Slovenia, which had a very high level of perceived information, no longer being covered by the survey, and a significant fall in the figure for Poland. For all other countries, the perceived information level remained stable or increased. The increase was most conspicuous in Malta (+33) and in Cyprus (+14) where the national information campaigns for euro adoption in 2008 are at full speed or have recently been intensified, though there was also a notable increase in Slovakia. The results suggest that the demand for information, which increases as the adoption date approaches, is still considerable.
As in past surveys, national central banks are the most trusted source of information: an average of 79% (autumn 2006: 77%) thought so. European institutions were again perceived as the second most trusted source (results being slightly higher than in September 2006: 69% relative to 67%). As to which information channels were preferred, most respondents continued to prefer mass media and banks; and, as regards the type of information they were looking for, they were mainly interested in practical information on the introduction of the euro, e.g. the value of the euro (90%), the changeover scenario (87%), practical implications (85%), and how to ensure that conversion rules are respected (83%). The survey confirms once more that that the public consider an essential element in preparing for the changeover to be the dual display of prices, both in shops (83%) and on utility bills (75%).
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