Europe Goes €uro - What Travellers Need to Know

On Friday 9th November, Peter Hain, Minister for Europe, and Ruth Kelly, Economic Secretary at the Treasury, launched a leaflet about the euro.

From 1 January 2002 euro notes and coins will replace the national currencies of 12 European countries. The ‘old’ currencies, such as French Francs and Spanish Pesetas, will be phased out during January and February.

British people will make 40 million trips to countries using the euro in 2002. If you are going it is important you know what this will mean for you.

You can download the leaflet (page one (pdf 275kb) and two (pdf 92kb)) or read it online.

• Future of Europe
• European Parliament (including a full listing of UK MEPs)
• Treaty of Nice
• EU Response to Terrorism

'What the EU Treaties really say' - Speech by Peter Hain, Minister for Europe

In a speech at the London School of Economics tonight (4 December 2001), Peter Hain will seek to explain what the European Union Treaties really say, in plain and simple English - in under 300 words.

Leaflets on simplifying the Treaties and European Law are available here:

• Heard about "European Law"?

• The European Union Treaties in under 300 words

On Friday 27th July the Secretary of State, Jack Straw, gave a speech entitled ‘A Europe for its Citizens’. In it he took forward his theme of reaching out to the 'genuine Eurosceptics...people who have doubts about what the EU is doing, but remain open to rational argument and practical evidence'. Mr Straw addressed the problem that the EU is widely seen as out of touch with the citizens it serves and suggested some solutions to tackle the problem.

A full transcript is available here.

'Plain Speaking on Europe' - Speech by the Minister for Europe, Peter Hain

On 17th July 2001 the Minister for Europe gave a speech at the Progress Annual Lecture calling for an end to the 'Eurobabble' used by politicians and the media. He stated "we need a new popular language if we are to reconnect the European Union to its citizens, to show that we are in fact talking about the things that really matter - jobs and prosperity, peace and security, social justice and the environment."

Please click on the following link for the full text of the speech:

'Plain Speaking on Europe'

The Minister for Europe welcomes comments from those interested in Europe. If you wish to email the Minister, please click on the link below:

Minister for Europe