Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia on Sunday became the first EU newcomers to join the "exchange-rate mechanism"
Published:
29 June 2004 y., Tuesday
Estonia, Lithuania and Slovenia on Sunday became the first EU newcomers to join the "exchange-rate mechanism" (ERM-2), paving the way for them to join the euro as early as 2007.
The decision was taken at a highly secretive meeting in Brussels involving officials from the 12 euro zone countries, the European Central Bank, Denmark, and the three countries that had applied for ERM-2 entry, according to the Baltic News Service. ERM-2 is often referred to as the "holding bay" for the euro. Countries wishing to join the euro must participate in ERM-2 for a minimum of two years.
During these two years, the mechanism aims to ensure a stable exchange rate between the euro and the currency of the prospective euro member since currencies in ERM-2 are not allowed to fluctuate by more than 15 percent against the euro. But before joining the euro, the applicant country must fulfil other criteria, such as maintaining low inflation and a low budget deficit.
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
Standard & Poor's (S&P) affirmed Lithuania's long-term investment grade sovereign foreign currency BBB credit rating and removed it from a CreditWatch negative position, citing government commitments to address deteriorating public finances.
more »
The EBRD-EIB Multilateral Carbon Credit Fund (MCCF) and Azerenerji Joint Stock Company are collaborating in order to promote energy-efficient power generation in Azerbaijan.
more »
U.S. President Barack Obama, meeting with the leaders of Mexico and Canada, called on all three nations hit by the global recession to avoid resorting to protectionism.
more »
A 10-year $75 million EBRD loan will finance the construction of a combined heat and power plant in the east Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk which is expected to improve energy efficiency and cut pollution by 14 percent thanks to the use of more environmentally-friendly technologies.
more »
The Directorate-General for Competition has issued a review of the aid schemes introduced by Member States and approved by the Commission during the financial crisis.
more »
Rescue planes from New Zealand have been taking part in a massive search for passengers after a ferry sank off the coast of Tonga. At least 27 people are missing.
more »
Courtney Adams has always loved cooking. As a kid she baked brownies for her friends and in college her apartment was the place to go to for a home-cooked meal. But she never thought she'd cook for a living.
more »
The European Commission has authorised, under EC Treaty state aid rules, a scheme offering reduced-interest loans to businesses investing in the production of environmentally friendly products, as part of the German package to tackle the current economic crisis.
more »
Ramūnas Bičiulaitis, former board member and financial director of AB LEO LT, starts working as head of the Finance Department of Danske Bankas.
more »
The EBRD has kept up a rapid pace in the syndicated loans market, defying difficult market conditions and pulling together nine deals so far this year, worth a total €1.2 billion.
more »