Has the introduction of the Euro been a good or bad thing ?

Answer 1

The Euro was a very good thing. We had to go through a rough patch when it was introduced because inflation got worse that year. After that it stabilised and followed normal inflation rates even though those are never nice.
And don't give me the crap that the UK is better with their GBP, I've been living here now for 3 years and living in the UK is bloody expensive, waaaaayyyyyy more than Brussels or Amsterdam where I used to live. As for Dublin becoming more expensive, it has nothing to do with the introduction of the Euro but with the fact that they were given financial help to develop the city and they used it wisely. As a consequence, it's become a popular European destination, more people got into employment so more people had money to spend and goods have followed the trend.
Honestly, the Euro have made travelling and trading a lot easier. We as consumers are also better armed to compare prices and shop where it is the most interesting. It also forced banks to drop the outrageous fees they used to charge on currency exchange. The Euro was hard at first but a lot of good has come out of it.

Answer 2

Bad thing really, I mean yeah it reduces time with faffle getting currency at the bureau de change but so what! Thats not a selling point of the euro! I like different currencies.

Sorry but i understand the principle, but it seems like a massive loss of a nations sovereignty if you abandon your currency. Somebody pointed out that germans are worse off and apparently Italy really REGRETS joining the euro. France whos idea it probably was in the first place don't seem to know what they want except maybe a france super state to rival USA.

Not sure about euro really, its a bit weird isn't it, lots of very different countries having the same currency, why else would this happen if not to create a super state? I think britain is right not to rush in with the rest and regret it like italy does.

Answer 3

It's been a good think. Before the physical existence of the currency, all the EU monetary union currencies were already pegged, acting as a single currency. The physical currency was just a step ahead. It has positive and negative outcomes. All the Euro zone enjoys the same monetary policy and the same monetary credibility, which is an advantage measured in lower interest rates (the Irish success wouldn't be possible without the lower interest rates). On the other side, it treated all the Euro Zone as being equal: one single monetary policy for different budgetary policies. The monetary policy instrument was lost for the national countries adhering to the EURO which was negative for some countries.
Instead of tuning local policies, the corrections now take longer and the individual states have lost some discretionary policy instruments (which in most cases is positive). It is important to improve the mobility of the people to avoid high unemployment in some areas.

Answer 4

i'd not say I inspired international warming any more desirable than passengers on the major inspired sinking. I run my automobile on LPG; more desirable helpful for the ambience, positive, yet my decision became depending on the business earnings to me. i think diesels are a lot cleanser than they became once; different issues being equivalent, diesels will be more desirable helpful because they have more desirable helpful mpg performance, this meaning a lot less gas is used for a given mileage, hence a lot less CO2 is emitted. My information is that that is higher CO2 stages that are the major reason for the warming of the arctic, alongside with the ice albedo comments. The ice is now very skinny, melting from below rather than from above. Do you've a hyperlink to the article about soot being a serious reason for warming? Edit: thanks gcnp; an staggering and informative answer.

Answer 5

It's good for those of us who live here in Europe, not to have to worry about exchanging currency or doing a lot of conversion if you want to buy something on the Net; not so good for my US friends who wanted to retire here, thinking they were going to get the same astronomically favourable rate for the USD they got back in the 70's. Another downside is that some business people (supermarkets etc.) see the prices in other European countries and decide that they can raise their prices to follow suit; life has gotten decidedly more expensive in S. Europe as a result.
Like all changes, there's good and bad in it. Over all good, though, I think.

Answer 6

It's been a great thing, the UK is really endangering itself by staying out. I lived in Madrid when Spain changed over and it was no problem and I didn't notice a big price difference.

People will always moan about change. My dad still moans about the decimalisation of UK currency in the 70's making everything more expensive. It's a nonsense.

Answer 7

The jury is still out on this one.
Since the introduction of the Euro, prices have sky rocketed, but I wonder if that has anything to do with it.
Wouldn't the prices have gone up anyhow?

Answer 8

an excellent thing lets face it the world is gettin smaller.
The Euro helps travellers,business blah blah.
people fear the new, and throw stones at the moon.
good thing.

P.S. a 10 peso coin can be passed off as pretty much anything.

Answer 9

By and large it's been great.
From a personal point of view, using the same currency when I travel saves on confusion and on bank charges.
From a business point of view I don't have to worry about exchange rate changes any more.

There's a lot of moaning that the Euro pushed up prices, but personally I think the prices were going up madly anyway.
In fact, even now, long after the Euro came in, prices are going up faster than ever.

NOTE: UK PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE A VOTE ON THIS, AS TO THEM THE EURO IS A FOREIGN CURRENCY!!!

Answer 10

As long as Great Britain never abandons the Pound Sterling for it, I'm happy.

Oh, and Paja, we drive on the correct side of the road traditionally. In the days of horse and cart, you drove on the left so that your sword-arm was free to defend yourself from Highwaymen approaching you. We should remember our traditions, and the Pound, and never abandon them to a European state.

I never want Great Britain to become part of the United States of Europe, (Which is inevitable for the rest of Europe). We are our own Nation and should stay that way!