Madam President, as you all know, it is becoming the norm in this Parliament to start speeches with a phrase which, as a result of being repeated so often, has become a commonplace. This phrase consists of congratulating the rapporteur on the report they have drawn up. I would not like my congratulations to Mr Gasòliba i Böhm, in this case, to imply that I am simply observing a Parliamentary formality. I wish to congratulate Mr Gasòliba i Böhm in particular, not only on the content of his report but also, above all, on his good choice of issues. Parliaments sometimes earn prestige not only by what is said within their walls but also by their choice of issues for debate: if these are topical and affect the citizens, they serve to bring the citizens and their political representatives closer together. Like Mr Karas, I also wish to thank the rapporteur for his flexibility towards the positions of the other groups. The introduction of the euro is one of the most significant milestones in the process of European integration. Having a single currency represents a huge step towards achieving European unity, not only in economic terms, but also, I would say, in political terms. The Eurosceptics are right to fear the single currency, because no one can question the fact that participating in a common currency involves the greatest possible degree of integration. We should not, therefore, think that the introduction of the euro has been important only in the economic field. It is true that the euro has enjoyed considerable success in the field of foreign trade: around one third of trade with third countries takes place in this currency. Furthermore, as we Europeans continue to use the same currency, we will start to feel more united with one another. For this very reason, it is the political and human dimension of the euro’s introduction that we should be worrying about – the ‘micro’ effects of the new currency. Concern about these effects, which citizens sometimes see as negative, obliges us to remedy them, inasmuch as we can, or, when this perception is not borne out by objective causes, to try to convince the public that its opinion does not match the reality. This success cannot conceal the fact that there have been problems in introducing new notes and coins. Blame for this must be laid at the door of the Commission, the governments and European Central Bank; there may still be some issues that make citizens feel that some problems are the result of the euro’s introduction. The success of the euro’s introduction cannot conceal some of its effects, which have damaged public opinion. In this context, the citizens’ perception is perhaps that the euro has played a major role in increasing inflation and in raising prices. The reality, however, is that, according to objective data, the euro has had much less influence than the citizens perceive to be the case. There is some basis for this perception because the so-called ‘rounding-up effect’ has had a fundamental impact on consumers’ shopping baskets and other essential goods, and on certain services. The necessary steps must, therefore, be taken to prevent this perception, which can have such damaging effects. Finally, the last thing I would wish to do is interfere in the internal debate of those countries that have not yet decided whether to join the Eurozone. I must remain on the sidelines of this internal debate but whilst remaining on the sidelines, I can still express the desire for them to join our common currency zone as soon as possible.

Political group: PSE