Spain

This information will be updated periodically but it also includes some materials, for example the dual circulation periods, which are no longer relevant but have been retained for reference purposes. The date that this information was last updated is at the bottom of the page.

Spanish Government euro web sites:
www.euro.mineco.es and www.loseurogarcia.net

Pricing

Banking

Business Preparations

Public Sector

General Public

Information Activities

Other Links and Sources

Pricing

Consumer Prices
The following table shows the annual percentage change on the same month in the previous year.

Banking

Central bank at:
www.bde.es

Business Preparations

The percentage of SMEs who had changed over to euro on 1 January 2002 for:

	accounting systems	98 per cent
	prices	97 per cent
	invoicing	98 per cent
	computer systems and IT	94 per cent

Overall SMEs considered that the changeover to the euro:

	had been easier or much easier than they planned	28 per cent
	proceeded as they planned	67 per cent
	had been more difficult than expected	4 per cent

19 per cent of SME's had encountered practical difficulties when changing over to the euro.

When converting prices from national currency to the euro the percentage of SMEs who had:

	converted prices some upwards and some downwards	30 per cent
	converted prices on a neutral basis	60 per cent
	converted prices upwards	3 per cent
	converted prices downwards	5 per cent

EB Eurobarometer Survey EB122

Business use of euro in cross-border transactions 72% in volume terms ECSR.

Camaras (Spanish Chambers of Commerce) have produced a range of information for small firms, including booklets on "Notes and Coins", "The euro and SMEs" and a "Guide for the adaptation of accounting of SMEs to the euro". The Ministry of the Economy has also produced a guide on euro preparations for SMEs.

Camaras:
www.cscamaras.es/euro

Public sector

	Spain has amended law 46/1998 to deal with the introduction of the euro and frontloading of euro cash. Law 9/2001 requires six decimal places to be used to convert prices from pesetas to euro.
	Main utilities bills showed euro alongside pesetas from 15 September 2001
	Pay slips for civil servants showed euro as well as pesetas from July 2001. Only euro were shown from 15 September 2001.

ECSR

General Public

	75 per cent felt that the introduction of the euro went well or fairly well.
	82 per cent felt that the changeover to the euro went without any difficulties or with some temporary difficulties for them personally and 86 per cent for everyone.
	62 per cent said that they found it easy to remember prices in euro, 65 per cent compare prices in euro and 64 per cent to understand bills in euro.
	82 per cent thought that dual pricing of goods was essential or fairly useful.
	For dual pricing in shops:

	9 per cent thought that prices when converted to euro had either not been rounded or had been rounded down.
	When asked which organisations had helped the most.
	56 per cent thought the media
	33 per cent thought shops and other retailers
	23 per cent thought the banks
	9 per cent thought consumer or other representative groups
	45 per cent thought family and friends

Information Activities

	To remind citizens that from 15 September bank payments, credit accounts and utilities bills were re-denominated in euro
	To encourage citizens to learn to think in euro, and begin to think of prices in euro

The three main national radio stations, and other smaller radio stations, transmitted euro information until the end of 2001. Spanish National Radio (RNE) transmitted a weekly information programme, which includes question and answer sessions with the participation of a representative of the Ministry of the Economy.

The campaign was also be published in the main national newspapers. During October 2001, outdoor advertisements were placed on public transport, in shopping malls, taxis, etc.

Other Links and Sources

European Commission:
www.europa.eu.int/index_en.htm (all EU languages for most documents)

European Central Bank:
www.ecb.int (All EU languages for most documents)

Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Embassy site:
www.ukinspain.com

For information for travellers, including business travellers, click here to see the joint FCO/HMT/DTI Government leaflet "Euro notes and coins and how they will affect you" on this site.

Sources:

ECSR European Commission Second Report: 10 October 2001
Second report on the preparations for the introduction of euro notes and coins
EB Eurobarometer survey E121 January 2002
http://europa.eu.int/euro/html/dossiers/00716/00716-en.pdf
HICP. Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices. Eurostat February 2002.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/eurostat/
EB Special Eurobarometer 171- May 2002 http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/archives/eb/ebs_171_tables_en.pdf