Contents : Part 1 or 2 Introduction The background Benefits of EMU Who is in? The effects of EMU

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Introduction

The debate is over… EMU ishere…it’s time for action!

The “first wave” ofEuropean Monetary Union (EMU) members has been confirmed. Full Economic and Monetary Unionstarts in January 1999.  Internationally, governments, companies and even individualsshould be assessing the impact that EMU will have on them and planning how to meet thechallenges and maximize the opportunities afforded by this momentous event.  The aimof this article is to give an overview of European Economic and Monetary Union, take aquick look at what is behind EMU, consider the benefits, and assess the key EMU-relatedissues that businesses may encounter as full monetary union draws near.

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The background

Although EMU has no parallel in modern history, the concept of amulti-country monetary union is not new. As long ago as 269 BC the Romans established aregional currency system based on a copper currency unit called the “As”. Sofar, this is the only successful example of a large pan-regional currency system inEurope. Since then there have been many attempts to establish a single currency across oneor more European states, but without a significant common political base to support theinitiative, all except for the Belgium and Luxembourg currency union have floundered.

One of the more recent attempts was in 1970 when the Wernerreport set the goal of achieving monetary union. This failed however, due to a lack ofexperience of monetary cooperation between members. Since then, over ten years of theEuropean Monetary System has given member states the experience and confidence to progressto a single currency.

EMU is as much a political arrangement as economic. Thepolitical capital invested in EMU is huge. EMU binds the states of the European Union intoa socially and economically coherent bloc. The European Union was founded on thisprincipal, and the objectives of the Treaty of Rome will not be truly achieved withoutEMU. Europe needs:

• Political stability through increased interdependence
• Regional cooperation
• Pan-European macro economic policy mechanisms
• A mechanism to complete the process of healing and restructuring in Europe that began after the last world war

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Benefits of EMU

EMU is a world event. The establishment of the euro as Europe’s singlecurrency promises to deliver benefits beyond Europe alone. The creation of a coherentcurrency bloc to rival the US dollar is of vital importance to the world’s long-termeconomic viability. The imbalance created by an over-dominant dollar (the world’sonly significant currency of reserve) would not provide a stable yet flexible worldeconomic operating environment in the long run. A currency with equal weight is of hugeimportance to the rest of the world, not just Europe.

The euro promises:

A currency for reform andrestructuring
A stable, low interest bearing currency that will, in the early years ofEMU, devalue against the world basket of currencies (especially the US dollar) and enableEuropean economies to effect the necessary restructuring of their labor and capitalmarkets. By having a single coordination mechanism (the European Central Bank) the eurocan be allowed to initially weaken (low interest rates will ensure this). This willprovide the cover of a relatively weak currency that will mitigate the “pain” ofvitally important restructuring by ensuring a competitive pricing position in worldmarkets. The United States went through this process in the late ’80s and early’90s. Europe needs to do so now.

A currency for growth
Europe’s leaders want the Union to evolve into an economic powerhouseto match or even exceed the USA. This stupendous vision, if realized, will openopportunities for growth never before seen in modern times within Europe. Afterpan-European economic restructuring is substantially complete the new, true, single marketwithin Europe (with freedom of movement for capital and goods, no internal currency riskand low real interest rates) will be an environment for sustainable growth.

A currency for consumers
With an increasingly homogenous market, complete with transparency ofpricing and free of exchange uncertainty, cost and controls, Europe’s consumers willenjoy greater choice and lower prices. Sophisticated logistics and distribution systemswill encourage “wide-area” shopping for best prices for organizations andindividuals alike.

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Who is in?

Eleven Member States have met the economic criteria defined in the MaastrichtTreaty of 1992. The “first wave” entrants are:

Greece failed to meet the Maastricht criteria but is makinggood progress towards being eligible to join (probably in 2001). Sweden has elected not tojoin at this stage due to popular opinion, but has no legal basis to do so, unlike Denmarkand the United Kingdom. These two countries have agreed “opt-out” clauses in theMaastricht Treaty allowing them to remain out of EMU at their discretion.

The sustainability of key fiscal aspects by some of theMember States has been keenly debated. Proposed “good house-keeping” sanctionarrangements (stability pact), enforced by the European Central Bank are designed toensure responsible economic policy making by Member States. These and the sheer economic,social and political consequences of fiscal imprudence should prevent any major finanacialdisasters.

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The effects of EMU

Who?
EMU is of global concern. It will impact all the world’s economies tosome extent and its effects should be considered by business leaders throughout the world,whether:

• Based in the euro-zone (one of the 11 participating Member States)
• Trading with partners based in the euro-zone
• Having subsidiary companies or cooperative ventures based in the euro-zone
• Owning assets in the euro-zone
• Competing in world markets with euro-zone based competitors

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Why?
EMU is a catalyst for increasing change. The change will ultimatelybe positive, but all change involves a certain level of uncertainty. Good understandingand management of the uncertainty will be a critical success factor in business.

EMU promotes competition. Businesses with regional orglobal aspirations must seize the opportunities opened up by EMU, adopt leading-edgebusiness practices and flexible, change-ready, organizational structures.

EMU may impact a company through the demands of a tradingpartner. In the so-called “out” countries of the European Union, many largemultinational companies are adopting the euro as their operating and prime tradingcurrency. Their business partners are being asked to conduct mutual business in euro.These partners are, in turn, asking their other partners to use the euro for businesspurposes. The effect of this commercially driven preference for the euro is that manycompanies outside the euro-zone will very quickly find that a significant portion of theirbusiness is conducted in euro.

EMU brings certain organizational and legal requirements.Changes will have to be made to IT infrastructures in order to switch to or trade usingthe euro. During the three and a half year dual currency phase there will be a mass ofnational legislation governing the introduction of the euro, sometimes differing fromMember State to Member State.

EMU, through the use of the euro, may impact upon foreignsubsidiaries of euro-zone based companies as they may be obliged to report, if notaccount, in the euro by their parent organizations.

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How?
Change in business environment and practices

With the reform and restructuring of labor and capitalmarkets in the EMU, the potential for a lower operating cost base for companies willemerge. Coupled to the euro-zone becoming an area of low interest rates, companies aretaking a wider view on where they should be based to take advantage of the lowered costs.Many companies based outside the euro-zone may now find it attractive to move all or partof their operations into the zone.

The new transparency of pricing across the euro-zone willincrease the opportunity to source goods at the best price. Purchasing cooperativesshopping across the whole euro-zone will be more common and the real freedom of movementof funds and goods will further support these buying organizations.

The ease of movement of goods will also enable companies tochange suppliers more quickly in response to better prices. Businesses will need to bemore nimble and reactive to competition coming from further afield.

Pricing
To price goods in euro has some interesting implications.  During dualcurrency phase (3.5 years) there will be a doubling of price data (and possibly cost) tobe stored and maintained. This will increase the cost of maintaining price records andwill impact on the data handling systems supporting point-of-sale pricing.

Companies in EU “out” countries using euro ordual pricing will be effectively trading in a foreign currency within their own bordersand with locally based partners. Exchange rate risks will be created where before theynever existed. Does this add to the cost of business? It certainly will add to the risk.Some participating Member States may require a period of dual pricing, for example Austriamay make dual pricing mandatory from January 2002.

Translating and the setting of new price points in eurowill be a difficult marketing and merchandising challenge. For example, a price point likeDEM 2,99 does not have an equivalently “natural” point in euro. The euroequivalent is approximately EUR 1.5194. To drop to EUR 1.49, a recognized price point,will mean a decrease in margin. Consumer organizations will be keen to see that retailersdo not increase prices due to EMU and pricing in euro. Sensitive management of price pointchange will be important.

Maintaining advantageous price differentiation for asimilar product across the euro-zone’s markets will be increasingly difficult due tothe new transparency of prices (and internet shopping). To do so may involve developingregion-specific products that will not lend themselves to wide, pan-European consumptionor use. This way a direct comparison between products and prices can be avoided.

Legal and Contractual

Use of the euro
The Madrid European Council of 1995 established the principle of “no compulsion, noprohibition” for the use of the euro during the dual currency period. “Economicagents”, i.e. companies, individuals and public bodies will be free to use eithertheir national currency or the euro. In contracts (see below) parties should agree on theunit of currency measure to be used. Until July 2002 it will be commercial considerationsthat dictate the use of the euro, not legal.

The euro
There are mandatory regulations governing the mechanics of the euro, mainly in thearea of exchange calculations. These rules will apply to participating states and alsoapply to the “out” EU countries as well. Although this is not clear at present,there is a concern as there are significant IT system implications involved. Please see”IT Systems”

Contracts
The adoption of the euro does not have any affect on the validity of contractsdenominated in a constituent national currency. As stated previously, the euro is a directsubstitute for a national currency. It may, however, be good practice to audit all currentcontracts to determine those that should be redenominated in euro upon renewal ifrelevant.

Contracts established after 1999, that are valid beyondJuly 2002, are denominated in euro where applicable.

The main impact on contracts will, again, be throughcommercial demands and considerations. This is particularly true of long term contracts.With the change (and fixing) of exchange rates all such contracts should be reviewed todetermine their competitiveness. This is true for parties resident both in and outside theeuro-zone.

National law
Under the principle of “subsidiarity” it is for each participating MemberState to enact into national law the regulations and guidelines issued by the EuropeanCommission. Unfortunately, this process opens up the possibility for multipleinterpretations of the EU regulations resulting in differing national laws – a confusingscenario for pan-European enterprises. Many countries have not yet developed and enactedEMU-related laws, so it is not possible for an organization to respond accordingly.

Costs
Defining precisely what an organization’s EMU-costs are likely to be is thesubject of some debate, however, it is generally agreed that the following should beincluded:

• Consultants’ and legal costs
• Change or updating of IT hardware and software
• Change of cash handling and point-of-sale equipment
• Additional staff, even if only temporary
• Staff education and training
• Stationery, sales and publicity media
• Diversion of management time

Different businesses will experience different costs.

Source: N.Jones, “The IT Cost of a Single European Currency”
Gartner Group Strategic Analysis Report, May 7 1997

It is generally agreed that EMU-related costs will exceedYear 2000 related costs. The Gartner Group estimates global EMU-related IT system costs toexceed $100 billion. Retail companies estimate a range of one to two per cent of turnoverover three and a half years to be their EMU costs, Europe’s governments(Europe’s largest IT users) talk of an increase of nearly 40 percent of IT budgetsuntil 2004. As always the tax payer pays.

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When?

Now
EMU has effectively started. With the confirmation of the first participants onMay 3, 1998 exchange rates between the member national currencies are being tightlymanaged. Interest rates are converging towards the projected common point of about 3.5percent, per annum.

From January 1999
For the next three and a half years there are two measures of value in theeuro-zone – the euro and the national currencies of the participating countries. The eurois not a different currency, merely a redenomination of national currencies, likeFahrenheit and Celsius are different scales of the same absolute temperature.

Theoretically, the concept of national currencies ceases toexist. However, as there are no euro notes and coinage in circulation yet nationalcurrencies will continue to enjoy joint legal tender status with the euro for thistransitional period.

On January 1, 1999 the exchange rates of participatingcurrencies are irrevocably fixed to the euro. These rates are now called conversion ratesor factors, no longer exchange rates.

In order to eliminate significant differences due to theuse of different ways of converting to and from euro, and the profiting from suchdifferent methods, The European Commission has prescribed a set conversion methodology.This aspect is covered further in the “Legal and Contractual” and “ITSystem Implications” sections later.

Euro is legal tender and the sole means ofinter-governmental settlement in the euro-zone. Government debt will be issued in eurofrom now on.10

The all-important monetary policy of the participatingcountries is now under the control of the European Central Bank. Fiscal policy remainswith Member States. An important question to be answered is how governments will live withthis mixed economic structure. Will nations endure this half-sovereign, half-notarrangement?

Euro notes and coinage will be introduced from 1st January2002. For six months there will be dual circulation of national currencies and euro. Thisis the maximum period allowed, many countries want to reduce it having anticipated thelevel of confusion that may be experienced in everyday life. Some even advocate an”overnight” release of euro notes and immediate switch away from nationalcurrency.

From July 2002
Now is the time of full EMU, national currencies of participating nations cease toexist.

At some point between January 1, 1999 and January 1, 2002,organizations in the euro-zone are required to change their operating currency to theeuro. Others in the “out” countries may chose to do so. This is a complex andrisky transition process and the following business implications should be considered:

• Organizations based in EU “out” countries must create or realize foreign exchange differences by adopting the euro. When is it best to do so?
• Relationships with business partners. Will they be affected?
• Change all group companies to euro at once or in a staggered manner?
• What alternative reporting arrangements need to be in place if local requirements still demand national currencies? This may be the case in some countries (for example Germany) where the payment of tax, etc, must be made in Deutch Marks until 2002.

Remember that the changes resulting from EMU will behappening for a long time. It is easy to think that all will occur in the first few,transitional years. This will probably not be the case. Many changes to the businessenvironment will happen quickly, but it will mainly be the formulation of change that willtake place first. The real manifestation of these change strategies, companyrestructuring, re-locations, mergers, labor market shake-outs and consolidation of capitalmarkets and so on will be put into place over the decade after full EMU starts.

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