Europeanen wijzen Euro af

[Dr. Marc-Alexander Fluks]

REPLY TO: D66 at nic.surfnet.nl

Bron:   Financial Times
Datum:  28 januari 2007
Auteur: Ralph Atkins
URL:    http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0dc53342-af08-11db-a446-0000779e2340.html


Europeans still take a dim view of the euro
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An overwhelming majority of citizens in the big eurozone countries believe the
euro has damaged their national economies, highlighting the popular scepticism
that still surrounds Europe's eight-year-old monetary union.

More than two-thirds of the French, Italians and Spanish - and more than half of
Germans - believe the single currency has had a 'negative impact', according to
an FT-Harris poll. In France, just 5 per cent said the euro has had a positive
effect on the French economy.

The results will disturb the European Central Bank, which has faced stiff
criticism in recent weeks from both Segolene Royal and Nicolas Sarkozy, the main
candidates in April's French presidential elections, who accuse the central bank
of hampering growth. The ECB regards its public credibility, and that of the
euro, as essential to its battle against inflation, which is sees as the
prerequisite for growth.

The survey also shows that most adults in the largest European countries think
migration has reduced wages and only a quarter have a positive view of the entry
into the European Union this year of Bulgaria and Romania.

However, eurozone citizens generally see wider benefits of the euro. More
Germans, Italians and Spanish see a positive impact on the EU economy than a
negative effect, according to the survey. That suggests they see others
benefiting rather than themselves. The exceptions are the French, more of whom
see a negative rather than positive impact.

The results come at a time when eurozone growth prospects have brightened,
thanks largely to a pick-up in Germany, the largest of the region's 13 member
countries. The ECB is expected next week to prepare financial markets for
another interest rate increase in March.

Hermann Remsperger, executive board member at the Bundesbank, told the Financial
Times in an interview that Germany's recovery was 'not a one-year wonder'. He
added: 'We are actually seeing a classical economic recovery. First, exports
increased, then investment joined in and now we have the first signs of a slight
improvement in private consumption. On top of that, the recovery has now reached
the labour market. The structure of the recovery alone suggests it will be a
longer-lasting process.'

Nevertheless, more than half of citizens in countries using the euro say they
prefer their former national currency, according to the poll of 5,314 adults in
Germany, the UK, France, Spain and Italy, which was conducted between January 10
and January 22. Almost two-thirds of Germans say they preferred their former
currency, the D-Mark.

In spite of the strong eurozone economy, fewer than half of adults in full-time
or part-time employment expected a pay rise this year - but the British and
Spanish were more optimistic.

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(c) 2007 Financial Times Limited

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