EU: smooth euro changeover in Estonia

[News_Editor]

EU: smooth euro changeover in Estonia

2011-03-22 19:49:26 GMT+7 (ICT)

BRUSSELS (BNO NEWS) -- The European Union (EU) on Tuesday announced that its Commission released a report on the successful introduction of the euro in Estonia, presenting the most important aspects of the changeover to the single currency and drawing some conclusions for future changeovers in other Member States.

The majority of Estonians believe the changeover was well prepared and smoothly implemented, having a key element in pricing stability with the 'Fair Pricing Agreement', whereby subscribers to the Agreement commit not to increase their prices without justification.

Estonia adopted the euro on January 1, becoming the 17th Member State of the euro area and bringing to over 330 million the number of people in the EU who share the single currency. Like all post-2002 changeovers, Estonia introduced the euro using a so-called big-bang approach, whereby the adoption of the euro and the cash changeover took place at the same time.

A two-week dual circulation period, during which both euro and kroon cash had legal tender status, allowed for the gradual phasing out of banknotes and coins in the previous national currency.

The successful changeover again confirmed that a short dual circulation period is sufficient if the changeover is well prepared. According to the recent Commission Flash Eurobarometer survey, a large majority of Estonians (87 percent) perceived the changeover as smooth and efficient.

Banks, businesses and citizens in Estonia were well supplied with euro cash in advance of the changeover day. ATMs and point of sales-terminals (for card payments) were converted in time and banks and post offices coped well with the extra workload during the dual circulation period (the number of over-the-counter transactions being up to 3-5 times higher than usual).

Retailers also managed well with the challenges of the changeover process and the handling of two currencies at the same time.

The Estonian authorities were active in fighting citizens' fears of price increases during the changeover. The obligatory dual display of prices in Estonian kroons and euro started in July 2010 and will last until June 30.

Almost 9 in 10 Estonians considered the dual price displays to be very or rather useful in order to facilitate price comparisons and to get used to thinking in their new currency. Over 80 percent also considered that they were always or mostly implemented correctly, which is in line with the results from the recent changeovers.

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