The former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl has said that countries not in the EU could join the euro
Published:
23 January 2004 y., Friday
In a rare interview with the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung today, the former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl has said that countries not in the EU could join the euro.
Mr Kohl, who was leader of Germany from 1982 to 1998, said, "I can imagine that one or the other country will adopt the euro without becoming an EU member".
Mentioning Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, he said, "I think that in the not too distant future people will pay with the euro in Switzerland. Because there, after several referendums, it will be recognised that the euro is good for Switzerland". He also cites the Ukraine as a possible euro member outside the EU.
The former leader believes that this would be a good way to bring countries that do not have the possibility of joining the EU closer to the Union.
Furthermore, Mr Kohl, who is thought of as one of the architects of the euro, criticises present EU countries who have decided to retain their own currencies - the UK, Sweden and Denmark.
He says, "Some European Union countries have not adopted the euro. One could say they have stepped on the brakes. But time is against the laggards".
Šaltinis:
euobserver.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
On 11 February, heads of state or government of European Union member states will meet in Brussels to seek a commitment towards implementing a revitalised economic strategy to boost employment and growth in the EU.
more »
International Monetary Fund forecasts that Lithuania’s economy will grow 1.6 % this year, making it “the only one of the three Baltic economies expected to be in the positive territory in 2010”.
more »
Raynair announced it would open its 40th and 1st Central European base at Kaunas, Lithuania’s second largest city, in May with 2 based aircraft and 18 routes.
more »
A new Partnership Strategy for Morocco has been approved by the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank.
more »
The electric car is an opportunity for European industry.
more »
The EBRD’s Board of Directors has adopted a new strategy for Kazakhstan, which reinforces the Bank’s commitment to further support the Kazakh economy and sets out the priorities for its activities in the country over the next three years.
more »
The European Commission has authorised, under EU state aid rules, plans notified by Sweden to provide a guarantee that would enable Saab Automobile AB to access a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
more »
At the informal meeting of the Ministers of Competitiveness (Science and Industry), to be held between 7 and 9 February in San Sebastian, the issues on the table will include placing science at the top of the EU agenda and showcasing its role in economic recovery, as well taking the debate on the electric vehicle to EU level.
more »
The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) today approved a 27-month Stand-By Arrangement with Jamaica in the amount of SDR 820.5 million (about US$1.27 billion) to support the country’s economic reforms and help it cope with the consequences of the global downturn.
more »
Mr. Nadeem Ilahi, chief of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff mission to the Kyrgyz Republic, issued the following statement today in Bishkek.
more »