Press Release: The euro and SMEs: preparations well in hand – steady increase in use of the euro

According to the latest Eurobarometer FLASH survey on SMEs and the euro conducted between 27 October and 6 November and published on 15 November 2001 by the European Commission, 43% of Europe's SMEs feel they are ready for the final changeover to the euro. Most SMEs are planning to change over on 1 January 2002. While almost all of them (91%) expect to be making out invoices in euro by 1 January, only 78% think they will be able to conduct all their transactions in euro by that date. At the same time, however, the results of the Commission's survey on the use of the euro for the third quarter of 2001, which were also published, show that overall use is increasing very rapidly in the majority of the euro-zone countries - for bank accounts, for national payments by businesses and individuals, and for VAT declarations and customs duties alike. On average, slightly over 80% of electronic-payment terminals managed by banks are already able to accept euro operations.

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/press_room/presspacks/euro/pp_euro_en.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/press_room/presspacks/euro/pp_euro_en.htm

http://ec.europa.eu/comm/enterprise/euro/index.htm http://ec.europa.eu/comm/enterprise/euro/index.htm

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