WRITTEN QUESTION E-1915/02 by Dorette Corbey (PSE) to the Council. Introduction of the euro.
Date: 2002-07-02
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: European Union membership, consumer price, consumer protection, cost of living, economic consequence, euro, inflation, third stage of EMU

6.3.2003

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 52 E/113

The Council fully supports the statement of the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative on
3.
Human Rights Defenders, Ms Hina Jilani, made on 12 June 2002 following her visit to Guatemala, in
which, amongst other things, she urged the government to implement the Peace Accords and particularly
their human rights component; to end impunity for past and current violations; and to conduct a
thorough and independent investigation into the allegations of violations against human rights defenders
and the alleged existence of clandestine groups. Ms Jilani’s report on her visit to Guatemala, to be
submitted to the Human Rights Commission in Geneva in 2003, will be a very welcome development.

4.
The Council maintains constructive dialogue with Guatemala based on the respect for human rights
and the implementation of the Peace Accords, both bilaterally and in the framework of the San Jose
dialogue. The situation in Guatemala is being monitored closely with a view to determining the
appropriate course of action to be followed.

(2003/C 52 E/127)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1915/02

by Dorette Corbey (PSE) to the Council

(2 July 2002)

Subject: Introduction of the euro

According to Eurobarometer 56, close to half the EU population thinks that the euro is pushing up
consumer goods prices. According to a survey by the Netherlands’ Consumers’ Association, compact disc
prices rose by 7,2 % between March 2001 and March 2002. In the same period, set-meal prices in
restaurants increased by 6,2 %, on average, and by as much as 8,8 % in cafes. The euro was supposed to
result in greater transparency and an end to exchange costs and thus lower prices. When the summer
holidays came, people were supposed to discover the benefits of the euro abroad, since money no longer
needs to be changed in the euro zone. Now that the introduction of the euro has resulted in large price
rises, those benefits have vanished. At the same time, some old banknotes have not been returned,
representing a profit for national banks and hence for national exchequers.

Does the Council acknowledge that it has a political responsibility to deliver on the pledge made to

1.
consumers and make sure that the euro finally benefits them?

2. What scope does the Council see to flesh out that political responsibility?

Reply

(5 November 2002)

Neither the Commission nor the ECB has reported a substantial
increase in inflation further to the
introduction of euro notes and coins as from 1st January 2002. The Commission published in March 2002
the ‘Review of the introduction of euro notes and coins’, and the ECB published in April 2002 the
‘Evaluation of the 2002 cash changeover’.

Both institutions acknowledge, however, that inflation has been above 2 % in the euro area since January
2002 but relate this phenomenon to exceptional factors, such as persistent unexpectedly high energy
prices and temporary price increases for food, resulting from the BSE and other animal sickness-related
food crisis and from bad weather conditions.

The Council, furthermore, draws the attention of the Honourable Parliamentarian to the important longer
term benefits of the introduction of the euro.