Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Central Bank, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions and the European Bank. Tenth Report on the practical preparations for the future enlargement of the euro area.

Abstract

Since the latest enlargement of the euro area to Slovakia on 1 January 2009, the group of the EU Member States using the single currency comprises 16 members. Following the Council Decision of 13 July 2010 that Estonia fulfils the necessary conditions for the adoption of the euro, it will enlarge to a 17th Member on 1 January 2011. Estonia has less than 6 months to finalise its preparations for the changeover. This report assesses the state of play of its practical preparations for introducing the euro and evaluates the progress made in preparing the changeover related communication campaign. It also provides a short overview of the results of the latest opinion poll on the state of public opinion on the euro in eight Member States which have not yet adopted the euro (i.e. excluding Sweden but including Estonia. The attached Commission Staff Working Document provides for details on the preparations for the introduction of the euro in other EU countries that have not yet adopted it and do not have a legal opt-out (i.e. excluding Estonia but including Sweden).