91998E1245

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1245/98 by Leonie van Bladel (UPE) to the Council (28 April 1998)

Subject: Distribution of free euro-calculators to those on low incomes

1. Is the Council aware that introduction of the euro will entail extra costs for consumers as they will be forced to purchase pocket calculators?

2. Will the Council take steps to ensure that those in lower income groups, including the elderly and retired, receive pocket calculators free of charge?

3. What other extra costs will consumers face as a result of introduction of the euro?

4. Will the Council ensure that those in lower income groups, including the elderly and retired, do not have to bear these other extra costs, if any?

Answer (6 July 1998)

1. The Council does not intend to arrange for pocket calculators to be distributed to those in lower income groups when the euro is introduced as the single currency of participating Member States, either free of charge or otherwise.

It should be noted in this connection that it is up to the Member States to conduct, possibly with assistance from the Community budget, the information policy which they consider most appropriate to facilitate the introduction of the euro.

2. As regards extra costs that consumers might face as a result of the introduction of the euro, the Council, at its meeting on 2 May 1998, welcomed the attention paid to the practical aspects of the introduction of the euro and considered that the recommendations of the Commission of 23 April 1998 on banking charges for conversion to the euro and on dual display of prices and other monetary amounts can form a useful complement to the relevant national preparations.

The rules of good practice thus recommended by the Commission which are based on the principles that conversions from the national currency unit to the euro unit should in principle be free of charge and that rounding to the nearest cent must be adhered to, were considered to be helpful by the Council in facilitating the transition to the euro, in particular in the light of ongoing consumer concerns.