Decline in demand raises fears over euro’s strength

German domestic demand showed its largest drop in ten years in the third quarter of 2003. Article goes on to consider a speech to the Center for Financial Studies in Frankfurt on 20 November 2003 by Jean-Claude Trichet, President of the European Central Bank, in which he urged European Union Finance Ministers to live up to their responsibilities in deciding how to deal with the breaches of the Stability and Growth Pact by France and Germany.