Developments in European information issues: Networks and relays – Services – Products, February 1999

Euro arrives

Anyone who has visited the Europa web site recently cannot have failed to spot the flying stork representing the birth of the new currency and will easily find the link to the latest euro information including the conversion rates at http://europa.eu.int/eurobirth/index.html. Here you will have the opportunity to practise your currency conversion skills using the on-screen euro converter (Netscape 3 or higher is required). In addition to this site and those listed in this column in European Access, No.5, October 1998, another useful site for this hot topic is Eurostat's Euro Indicators at http://europa.eu.int/eurostat/.The harmonized statistical data - available free of charge-includes a range of key indicators covering areas such as national accounts, monetary and financial indicators, balance of payment, public finance, labour market, industry, prices and external trade. It covers both the euro zone countries and EU15. The presentation makes use of graphs and tables, some generated via hyperlinks and explanatory texts give details of definitions and methodology. Directions for printing may include the instruction to use landscape format.