Swedish poll blow to euro

Opposition to Europe's single currency is on the rise in Sweden, a member of the European Union which is outside the euro zone, a fresh opinion poll showed yesterday. Research institute Ruab's survey of 2,173 Swedes between February 24 and March 5 gave the anti-euro "No" side 42 per cent compared with 39pc for the pro-euro "Yes" side, reported the business daily Dagens Industri, which commissioned the poll . Sweden, unlike fellow EU members and euro outsiders Britain and Denmark, does not have a formal opt-out from the bloc's single currency. Instead, it is bound by treaty to join once it meets a set of economic and fiscal criteria. The country plans to hold a referendum on membership on September 14. The outcome of Sweden's euro referendum could affect public opinion in Britain and Denmark, which have also talked about holding referendums but which have not set any balloting dates. Danes have already rejected the euro once, by 53-47pc in a September 2000 plebiscite.