How To Introduce The Euro

Maxim Buylov. Kommersant

For metal euro recommended buy special euro-purses

At the end of December in the village MARMANDE in the south-west of France came to the bank with a wheelbarrow of money. Ten years later he Kopilov coins in denominations of two francs, and in connection with the introduction of the new European currency, so decided to change them to Euros. Fifteen minutes bank clerks converted peyzanina coins and counted five thousand shares credited to his account 1 524.39 euros. But if a resident MARMANDE intended to return to the bank with the same car and demand to extradite him to 762 coins a nominal value of two euros, it will wait for an unpleasant surprise. As in all countries of the euro zone, France has desperately lacked the petty cash. And if the authorities of European Union do not navedut order here, then marmandets may well hold the next ten years in vykolachivanii coins from the bank.

Europeans already pay the second week of the new currency - the euro. Symbol, which indicated the euro, is widely advertised and therefore familiar to many - it is almost a complete circle, crossed by two parallel horizontal lines. However, not everyone knows how to decipher. The basic character was derived the Greek letter epsilon - it begins with the Greek spelling of the European Union. Two direct symbolize faith glavstran stability of the euro zone in the new European currency.
The most enthusiastically accepted the introduction of euro cash in circulation of the EU leadership. According to the European Central Bank President Wim Duisenberg's, it went "amazingly well". "I am convinced that 1 January 2002 will go down in history books as the beginning of a new era in Europe", - he said.


Cash disorder

I must say that about stym Europeans cash euro has brought more trouble than joy. First, some firms take a moment of transition to the euro to increase the value of their goods.

Especially active against the Italians were expressive. Association of attorneys representing the rights of Italian consumers, has published a list of goods went up after the introduction of the euro. It turned out that in the new year for the national pride of Italy - Pizza had to pay 16% more for a cup of coffee - at 30%. At 16% went up ice cream and services of prostitutes. It is possible that the French and confused in the near future to raise prices. The introduction of the euro just outraged them. The thing is that now instead of 300 francs, he must pay 45.63 euros. And so, in their opinion, just offensive. "New money makes us cheap," - said one of Parisian prostitutes. In turn, the Germans discovered that the DVD players went up by 35%, and even such simple things as notebooks, were worth nearly a quarter more.

Rise - is not the only problem, which is linked to the introduction of the euro. At the paid section of road linking France and Spain, formed a five-stopper - cashiers, charge fees for travel, fail to issue a surrender of unusual cash. Frankfurt customers of some banks have had to queue for hours to exchange marks for euros. Perhaps anticipating this, many Germans fled to change its brand to new money as early as New Year's Eve - questionable, it must be said, fun.

In France, in this sense pure pluralism. Some banks refused to exchange the franc to the euro because of the insufficient number of new cash. Others have imposed restrictions on the amount exchanged. A third, and does serve only to regular customers. Worse, in the French supermarkets. Here, cashiers simply do not accept banknotes of large denominations, as well as letting them give nothing to the euro.

In Austria, a bank clerk umurilsya to sell two dozen packs of the new currency, valued at $ 908 each, at a cost of just over 36 euros per pack. But this is not the most serious trouble which occurred in this country since the introduction of the euro. They both came out all ATMs. Because of azhiotazhnogo demand for new currency at the central computer fails, which could not be eliminated within two hours.

However, the most serious problems with the introduction of the euro has been in Italy. And it is not only the pizza, ice cream and prostitutes. Minister of Foreign Affairs of that country's Renato Ruggiero, discontented against the euro, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, has resigned. And now Mr. Berlusconi himself had to perform his functions, receiving a salary. Meanwhile, the Italians, who, like their prime, are not enthusiastic about the introduction of new currency, called on the authorities of tax benefits in the amount of 624 euros per household per year - so much, according to experts, will lose as a result of the transition to a new currency, ordinary citizens.

In addition to raising prices to the euro conversion is accompanied by various indirect costs. For example, the Italians and the Finns will have to change their wallets. The point is that the euro banknotes more Italian lira and Finnish brands. In Italy, by the way, is rather dismissive about the coins. At the time, they have even been taken out of service after one of the designers began to buy up and convert to buttons. It turned out that the value of the metal, which was on the coin, above La largest of face value. Now the Italians will have to get used again to keep the metal in the money purse. Now they are actively sold purses new model, called "port-euro" - specifically for evromonet.

In France, trade revived, but it is not so much with the introduction of new currency, but with the departure of the old. Annual Winter Sale is held under the slogan "Leave the store last franc." From early morning, thousands of French people lined up in the queue. Sale ends February 17 - the last day of the franc.

Euro and the theory of probability

Perhaps, with a lack of fitness Italians linked to the coins and the fact that the Roman Mint has made the party "wrong" Euro. Rome prosecutor's office has already initiated on the fact of a criminal case. The point is that each country determines the image of one of the sides of coins - to another, regardless of place of issue, it was decided to put the EU flag image (see the previous no-action "money").

The diameter and the reverse of coins of one and two cent match. And the Italians were mistaken - instead of the castle Castel del Monte in Apulia on the reverse side of the coin of one cent was the dome of the Turin Cathedral La Mole Antonelliana, which had to decorate a two-cent coin.

Some incorrectly otchekanennyh cents immediately turned on the black numismatic market - each coin is there are already about 2500 euros. Investigators will find out accidentally or was intentionally altered computer program, which is responsible for minting. In addition, they must determine how the coins are on the black market.

Defective were not only Italian cents, but the Finnish euro. Client one of the banks in the Finnish city Nummela when money notice that on the banknotes of 500 euros missing hologram. It turned out that this is not fake, but a normal marriage. In Finland, in the manufacture of bank notes on some of them just forgot paste this sredstvozaschity. After the incident members of the Bank of Finland have promised to closely examine all bills before you put them into circulation. Prior to that, a habit they obviously were not.

However, no cost and without false euro - were seized in the first days of the new year. However, while they are quite primitive, and quite simply be careful to not to disappoint. In the German city Zigburg, near Bonn, twelve years old girl found counterfeit banknotes in the train, coming from Cologne in Troysdorf. The fact that it is a fake, the girl found out when met his break. She highlighted that it is neither a means of protection. "We must acknowledge that the culprit in at least take the cause on both sides of the figure bills. Most do not and this" - said the incident the police representative.

In Germany, the same 34-year-old man "multiply" on the copier in the 20 euro banknotes and tried to pay for a copy of refueling. Local police claim that the blood alcohol counterfeiter three times the limits set for the drivers. So he will have to answer not only for the forgery of banknotes, but also for driving drunk.

Another German had easier - it is not copied, but simply cut out a picture showing a banknote of 500 euros from the newspaper. In a small town near Frankfurt, in a hall of slot machines, he received the surrender of newspaper clippings of $ 997.71 German marks, about $ 460, and safely escaped.

A more ingenious was a Frenchman - it is not copied and do not cut out, and pay in one of the bars with money from the game "Monopoly." It turned out that the tabletop game is also shifted from national currencies to the euro. "It's good to see the European Central Bank and the producers' monopoly 'have agreed that some of them changed the design of banknotes", - noticed done brown barkeeper.

The original of all the new currency of cool German scientist Bodo Wolf of the Dresden Technical University - it spoils it for research purposes. As a result, he was able to prove that the euro stronger German mark, in the literal sense of the word. Mr. Wolf has verified as euro coins and stamps are anti drills Diamond instruments. It turned out that the euro more resistant to such effects. "I did it just out of curiosity," said Bodo Wolf. - I wanted to make sure that the mistreatment of the euro is not too adversely affect the appearance of these coins. "

But two of the Poles - the statistical office staff conducted a study euros, without causing him harm. Prietom they were no less interesting results. Thomas Glizhinski and Vaclav Zavadovski 250 times drop Belgian evromonetu, and the fallen head of King Albert, up 140 times. Euro arranged asymmetrically, "- said Mr. Glizhinski. A similar experiment, it is going to hold with German evromonetami, and on the results of a report in February, delegates mathematical conference. "I am familiar with this phenomenon: it is also evident in experiments with some other coins, such as two zlotys that we are throw more than 10 thousand times," - said the researcher.

Foreign associates euro

In general, the introduction of euro cash in circulation caused a storm of interest - and not only in the countries of the euro area. Some even decided to enter this zone, so to speak, to the black progress. Thus, the Central Bank of Cyprus, the only preparing to join the European Union, last week promised to lift all restrictions on the exchange of the euro. Now local authorities are considering the liberalization of euro in the country.

These passions ran high on the euro in Britain. The major London dealers said that recognize the euro as a means of payment. In response, stores in the royal palaces and museums flatly refused to accept the new European currency. The truth is, nobody except the journalists have not yet tried to settle in London with the help of the euro. Simple English even proud of their ignorance in this matter.

However, it is possible that in the near future, the British will have to draw on the euro more attention. British conservatives are constantly accused the government of Tony Blair in an attempt to secretly undermine the pound and adopting the euro. In their view, his dream home - in England to hold a referendum on the introduction of the euro.

British newspapers revealed details of a secret plan for the transfer of Britain to the euro. According to their information, the euro will advertise in the popular game "Who wants to be a Millionaire." But the most insidious course - to start in Britain, selling gift sets euros in special unattractive package. Craftiness, according to the newspapers, is that by buying a kit, the British in anger awful break package, but the euro is used as ordinary money.