Preface

• Author: Secretariat General
• Profession: Council of the European Union
• Pages: 3

Page 3

Economic and monetary union (EMU) in general, and the euro in particular, is designed to create the foundation for sustainable long-term economic growth by providing macroeconomic stability, while, at the same time, constituting a natural complement to Europe's single market. The introduction of the single currency on 1 January 1999 and the introduction of the euro banknotes and coins on 1 January 2002 are two key events in the history of the European Union. Since the adoption of the euro by Slovenia on 1 January 2007, the euro area comprises 13 Member States and counts a population of more than 315 million who share the single currency and benet from the euro.

This compilation, issued jointly by the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission, brings together the core legal and political texts on EMU and the euro.

The concept of this publication is to cover the key provisions governing EMU in the format of a handy booklet. It was therefore unavoidable to be selective, despite the fact that numerous other texts are relevant for the functioning of EMU, for example legal acts relating to institutional and external aspects as well as to practical aspects of the single currency. They are therefore listed in the Annex, together with references to the Official Journal.

Klaus Regling

Director- General

Economic and Financial Aairs DG

European Commission

GrÈgoire Brouhns

Director- General

Economic and Social Aairs

DG General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union