Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-07-03-Speech-4-035"
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"en.20030703.2.4-035"2
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"Madam President, I wish to thank Mr Gasòliba i Böhm for an unusually interesting report. In purely practical terms, it is now clear that the introduction of the euro has been extremely successful. The latest Eurobarometer indicates that 75% of citizens in the eurozone countries are satisfied. Mr Gasòliba i Böhm certainly draws attention to a number of unnecessary price rises upon the actual transition to the euro but, overall, we now know that these were fairly modest and that they have since become less pronounced. It is quite obvious that we can anticipate the eurozone in the future creating conditions for lower price rises, which is perhaps what is most important of all.
I nonetheless think that the most interesting thing about this report is the observation that the euro is in the process of becoming a world currency, together with the demands for a feasibility study designed further to strengthen that role, for we can see how the dollar even now dominates in the world at large. In particular, international trade, especially in oil and other raw materials, has for a long time taken place in dollars. Use of the euro and its importance as a currency are increasing all the time, however. I believe that, in the future, the euro may very well be able to compete with the dollar as a world currency. If we could achieve this, it would be important from both economic and political points of view. There is a lot to be said, for example, for the possibility of one day fixing oil prices in euros. I know that my colleague, Mr Goebbels, is among those who have addressed that idea in various reports. It would be in the interests of the oil-producing Gulf States because more and more of these countries’ goods are imported from the eurozone. It would also, however, be in the interests of European consumers because the price fluctuations we have for oil and petrol, dependent upon the rate of the dollar, would disappear.
In my own country, Sweden, the debate is fully under way prior to the autumn referendum on introducing the euro. I believe that the prospect of the euro, together with an enlarged EU and EMU, possibly offsetting US power and the dollar’s world dominance is one of the most important factors that could make the Swedes vote yes in the referendum."@en1
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