APATHY OVER EURO.THE launch of the new Euro currency met with a tide of apathy apathy /ap·a·thy/ (ap´ah-the) lack of feeling or emotion; indifference.apathet´ic ap·a·thy n. Lack of interest, concern, or emotion; indifference. throughout the Continent yesterday. Only politicians of those nations taking part displayed any excitement at the birth of the common currency. Reaction among shoppers and pubgoers was mixed as few places bothered to mark prices in Euros. One Paris cafe owner said: "To be honest, I couldn't could·n't Contraction of could not. couldn't could not care less what currency we use in France, as long as I earn enough of it." The Germans managed to provoke pro·voke tr.v. pro·voked, pro·vok·ing, pro·vokes 1. To incite to anger or resentment. 2. To stir to action or feeling. 3. To give rise to; evoke: provoke laughter. anger last night by insisting that the launch of the Euro was the start of a United States of Europe The United States of Europe (sometimes abbreviated U.S.E. or USE) is a name given to several similar speculative scenarios of the unification of Europe, as a single nation and a single federation of states, similar to the United States of America, both as projected by . German Minister for Europe Gunther Verheugen claimed full political union was an "inevitable" result of the joint currency. As the Euro became legal tender in 11 European Union European Union (EU), name given since the ratification (Nov., 1993) of the Treaty of European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, to the European Community countries, Britain was still locked in a row over whether it should join. Former Tory Minister Sir Leon Brittan, now vice-chairman of the European Commission European Commission, branch of the governing body of the European Union (EU) invested with executive and some legislative powers. Located in Brussels, Belgium, it was founded in 1967 when the three treaty organizations comprising what was then the European Community , said Britain had "a lot to lose" by staying out. But a group of 18 leading British businessmen and economists warned of the dangers of joining. The new currency can only be spent using cheques and credit cards because coins and notes won't be issued until 2002. The Germans also raised the spectre of joint tax policies across Europe. It drew a furious response from the Tories who demanded that the Government spell out their postion. Meanwhile, an army of 30,000 technicians have been drafted in to convert offices in the City to handle the Euro. |
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