By Martin Banks - 19th August 2010
It creates insecurity and lack of trust to the common future
Rodi Kratsa
Greek MEP Rodi Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou has called for an information campaign" to boost the image of the single currency.
The deputy, who is a member of parliament's economic and monetary affairs committee, said the move would allay public concern in the wake of the euro's recent problems.
The euro has, for some, come to symbolise what is claimed to be the shortcomings of the whole 'European project'.
Kratsa said an information campaign promoting the benefits of the euro would help European citizens "who feel that the euro is an expensive currency to maintain".
This is partly the result of "a lack of solidarity and financial coordination among eurozone members", she said.
It is also the result of recent "rough" austerity measures introduced by several member states, such as the UK and Greece.
"The predictions or threats that some member states will be forced to leave the eurozone shake the faith of the citizens to the common currency and the common European path," Kratsa-Tsagaropoulou said.
She added that a targeted information strategy to highlight the importance of the euro is needed in every member state.
"This is particularly so as the current fiscal and financial situation in the EU is unprecedented and obscure for the citizens.
"It creates insecurity and lack of trust to the common future," said the MEP.
A similar campaign took place in the run up to the introduction of the euro and a repeat exercise "would be useful today", she added.
She said, "Survey results in member states show it is evident that a significant number of citizens question not only the common currency's viability but also its ability to protect the European economies from inflation."
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