Euro

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
A new money will be effectly be use next year in twelwe states of europe (not in Great Britain) .

For me i have to think in euro now and forgot the franc, germans peoples will have to forgot the Mark, italians the lire ...

This will be a big change. It will be a little difficult at first, but when we will travel it will much more simple : no change to make.



There will be 2 advantages with the euro for the americans people :

first : when you will travel in europe you will need at least two money pounds for GB and euro for the others states (Germany, Italy, spain, France, belgium, austria, Greece, nederland, Portugal ... )

second : The euro is a small $ : for one dollar you get 1,10 euro. So for converting prize, Prize in euro is prize in dollars minus 10 % of reduction. At the reverse the use of the $ will be more simple for europeans it will be a bif euro (add 10 %)
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 41
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    You guys are soon to become a collection of states like the US right now. in ten years i envision the Unites States or Europe made up of former countries. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing. Now you all have to agree on a language. Say, most of you already speak english....hmm. Sure would make it easier on us 'dumb' americans.
  • Reply 2 of 41
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    [quote]Originally posted by Outsider:

    <strong>You guys are soon to become a collection of states like the US right now. in ten years i envision the Unites States or Europe made up of former countries. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing. Now you all have to agree on a language. Say, most of you already speak english....hmm. Sure would make it easier on us 'dumb' americans. </strong><hr></blockquote>

    I have nothing against an united state of europe dispite the fact we are very far from it. For the language each language carry a huge culture and no one can let disapear such an heritage. However english is the first foreign language choose in school, it's the most popular language in the world.



    Some european people have more skill to earn foreigh language, scandinavians and germans people are very strong for that, french people are not very good but the younger generation will be better, the worse of all are people from Great Britain (in general: there is always tremendeous exceptions) because nearly everybody speak english.
  • Reply 3 of 41
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    OOPS!!! I made a huge typo, forgive me. I didn't mean "United States or Europe", I meant "United States of Europe" or the U.S.E. It changed the whole meaning of my post.
  • Reply 4 of 41
    xoolxool Posts: 2,460member
    Americans do not realize what thousands of years of culture and history will do to people. In fact most Americans barely have a firm grasp of US history, let alone Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world...



    I'm quite excited about the Euro... Sure, no longer will there be Francs, Guilders, Lira, and a bunch of other currencies, but think of business: a common currency will help everyone, from shop keepers to the snack man on the train (I remember dealing with a snack guy as I traveled through the Alps. That guy had to deal with three sets of currency: Where the train was, is, and will be... Yuck!).



    Anyhow, I can tell stories from my travels later... Got to go to work!



    [ 12-21-2001: Message edited by: Xool ]</p>
  • Reply 5 of 41
    It seems like a big move to give up one's currency. Didn't the King of France get caught trying to escape the revolution because his head was imprinted on the coin and some bar keep recognized him from that? Or is that a tall tail of some kind that I heard?
  • Reply 6 of 41
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    [quote]Originally posted by Scott H.:

    <strong>It seems like a big move to give up one's currency. Didn't the King of France get caught trying to escape the revolution because his head was imprinted on the coin and some bar keep recognized him from that? Or is that a tall tail of some kind that I heard?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    It's seems true. The King of France Louis XVI was recognized by an Inn's keeper, at this time photo did not exist so may be the fact that his face was printed on all coins, was the only way to recognized him.
  • Reply 7 of 41
    powerdoc: Did you get the Euro starter pack? Kinda strange to look at new coins after all these years. But I'm all excited to see the rest, too.



    Outsider: Of course nobody really knows, but I don't think the European Union will become something like the United States of Europe in the next 30 years. Personally, I'd love to see that however.
  • Reply 8 of 41
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    [quote]Originally posted by Infinite Void:

    <strong>powerdoc: Did you get the Euro starter pack? Kinda strange to look at new coins after all these years. But I'm all excited to see the rest, too.



    Outsider: Of course nobody really knows, but I don't think the European Union will become something like the United States of Europe in the next 30 years. Personally, I'd love to see that however. </strong><hr></blockquote>

    i get five of them. However i am little disapointed by the quality of the coins, there are not very beautiffull.
  • Reply 9 of 41
    I still think the U.K., Denmark and Norway should have adopted the Euro too.
  • Reply 10 of 41
    [quote]Originally posted by soulcrusher:



    <strong>I still think the U.K., Denmark and Norway should have adopted the Euro too.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    They made a choice that they saw was in their best interests. How can you in Costa Rica know better than a citizen of Copenhagen what is best for him?



    There will certainly be some advantages to the Euro but there will also be disadvantages. The needs of Naples might be ill-served by a monetary policy that is more in tune with what Amsterdam requires and vice versa. But both Holland and Italy have chosen to be a part of this experiment. We'll see how it fares. The Euro got off to a very rocky start last year. From what I hear things have stabilized nicely recently.
  • Reply 11 of 41
    smalmsmalm Posts: 677member
    [quote]Originally posted by roger_ramjet:

    <strong> They made a choice that they saw was in their best interests. How can you in Costa Rica know better than a citizen of Copenhagen what is best for him? </strong><hr></blockquote>



    It was not the question, what would be the best for the country but what will make me win the next election that kept the governments of those countries from opting for the euro
  • Reply 12 of 41
    [quote]Originally posted by smalM:



    <strong>It was not the question, what would be the best for the country but what will make me win the next election that kept the governments of those countries from opting for the euro. </strong><hr></blockquote>



    Well that's your take. I'm sure others view the matter differently. Many see this as a last stand for national sovereignty. If I was a Dane, I'd certainly think twice about ceding my country's monetary policy to Brussels or Bonn or wherever the hell the Euro's central bank is located.
  • Reply 13 of 41
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    [quote]Originally posted by roger_ramjet:

    <strong>

    How can you in Costa Rica know better than a citizen of Copenhagen what is best for him?

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    Since I just heard the Copenhagen town hall bell outside my wndow I will speak my voice now.



    On the Euro: I am pretty glad we didn´t go all the way and replaced our Krone with the Euro. On the short term it would be better for us to join since our currency follow the Euro within a very narrow band but have a little higher interest rate and because we are one of the countries with the highest import/export per capita in the world. But on the other hand Europe is not one economic zone, not even after the Euro. And that have some consequences:



    1): All countries have their own social security and tax collection. Here in Denmark our hospitals, schools, unemployment benefits aso. are paid through taxes while other countries have a employer based system and again other private ensuriense(sp?) based. Therefore we cannot have one tax system. We pay about 45% of the GNP in tax while in other countries they pay 25% and the citizent of each country charish their system and probably won´t change it for a common european one.



    2): One of the effects of federal taxes within one currency area is that when one part of the area is succesful the tax system automaticly transfers money to other parts of the area. But if you have one currency and no common tax system slow down in one part of the area won´t be "ironed out" and that part will be hit even more when you have to stick to the common currency. And Europe is so diverse that that is very likely to happen.



    On the United States of Europe: I would rather have a large EU than a United States of Europe of only 15-18 countries. But on the other hand I really think the world really need another political power to stand up against US in world politics. Not that everything US does is wrong but it is never healthy when only one power is on the stage. Reason is discurtive/communicative and not a product of dictation. Just one year ago I would have said that US of E would be wrong but seeing how USA is handling Israel, climate talks, ABM, GATT aso I am glad Europe has started talking with one voice. Not that I always agrees with it but on every issues I have been closer to the voice of EU than that of US.



    Hope it made sense. If it didn´t it is because its 3 am here and I should be sleeping.
  • Reply 14 of 41
    The tax issue is an interesting one that is way to complex for me and I would guess anyone else here. I read that the EU was pressuring countries that decided on a lower tax structure to raise the taxes. That would bring them more in line with other EU countries. I guess it never occurred to them that their taxes are too high and they needed to lower them.
  • Reply 15 of 41
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
    There was never a choice for Norway to adopt the Euro. Norway isn't even part of the EU (european Union)...
  • Reply 16 of 41
    andersanders Posts: 6,523member
    [quote]Originally posted by Scott H.:

    <strong>I read that the EU was pressuring countries that decided on a lower tax structure to raise the taxes. That would bring them more in line with other EU countries. I guess it never occurred to them that their taxes are too high and they needed to lower them. </strong><hr></blockquote>



    The problem here is that we have different systems and want to maintaine it that way. But we also have the right to go to different parts of Europe to work, get educations aso. Education is totally free from kindergarden to Ph.D. here in Denmark and from the age of 18 and until you are finished you get paid $600 and can get a $250 extreme low interest loan each month. And your rent and transport is subsidiced aso aso. So Denmark along with Sweden and Norway is probably the best place to take your education in Europe.



    You later pay the expenses to education (and pensions, hospitals aso.) over the tax while the tax is lower in GB, Ireland, Italy and Greece. So for me personally it would be better to move away from Denmark when I have finished my education in three years. And then return to Denmark when I am 65 years old to collect the pension from the state.



    If the difference between the two systems (tax paid and individual paid) is too large too many people will do as described. And that will put a lot of pressure on the Danish system and benefit the low tax areas. So to compensate for that EU is trying to maintaine a minimum tax level.



    Actually I am very luckily since I both have the benefits of the EU system (being able to live and work anywhere in EU if I have a job no questions asked) and the internal scandinavian system (move to Sweden or Norway on a permanent basis and afaik even gain citizentship). Perhaps I´ll move to Norway in a couple of years. I think my education (sociology) is more used and respected there than here (anyone in the state administration here are either former law or economy students), I am a cross country skiin freak and the NorwegianÂ*Jenter makes my knees weak



    [ 12-28-2001: Message edited by: Anders ]</p>
  • Reply 17 of 41
    It's much more complex than even that. Look at all the fighting over the "Economic Stimulus" in the US Congress. The tax structure has an effect on the economy of an area as well as the monetary policy. How do you set on monetary policy for many different countries with very different levels of taxation?
  • Reply 18 of 41
    zozo Posts: 3,117member
    Indeed while a USE is far from the American model, also taxes are far from being harmonized.



    But I think that is a good thing in certain respects.



    If I have to compare Scandinavian culture and habits and Italian ones, we are two totally different planes. Nordic states "like" having high taxes but then being pampered and, actually, taken care of by the state.



    Something like that in Italy would be unthinkabe, at least for now. Already money is handled like $hit, I cant imagine them with more money.



    BTW, while we can travel and work and study freely in any EU country, we can't "loiter around". i.e. You must be doing something productive (study or work). If a German comes to Italy he can stay for a limited amount of time living there. Its weird, I also have Italian citizenship and while I work or live in Belgium I have to be registered in my commune. I dont need a work permit, but I do need to be registered. Weird.



    How does it work in the USA? I never worked there... If I live in NYC and then move to Atlanta, say, do I need to 'unregister' myself from NYC and let the city of Atlanta know I live there? I lived most of my life in the USA, but these things were taken care of by my parents since I was a kid.



    On another note, while I may appear a bit biased, I think the Italian Euro coins are the nicest. The Finnish ones are pretty nice too. All the others are pretty bland. Luxembourg, Spain, Holland, Belgium all have a royal's head (boring), the french one has boring hexagons on it and a few other boring things, and the german one has that odd eagle on almost all of them too. Want to see them? <a href="http://www.cnnitalia.it/2001/DOSSIER/euro/index.html"; target="_blank">http://www.cnnitalia.it/2001/DOSSIER/euro/index.html</a>; Its in Italian, but if you click on the right hand link where it says 2Banconote e Monete2 you get a great popup window with a closeup of all coins of all countries and the non-descript banknotes



    Welcome Euro!!! Its about frikken time!!!!



    [ 12-29-2001: Message edited by: ZO ]</p>
  • Reply 19 of 41
    [quote]I guess it never occurred to them that their taxes are too high and they needed to lower them. <hr></blockquote>



    Why exactly are their taxes too high?



    [ 12-29-2001: Message edited by: trick fall ]</p>
  • Reply 20 of 41
    amoryaamorya Posts: 1,103member
    [quote]Originally posted by soulcrusher:

    <strong>I still think the U.K., Denmark and Norway should have adopted the Euro too.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I wish the UK would make their mind up! We're still in the 'err, we might do someday... perhaps' mood at the moment.



    Amorya
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