August 2006 |
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Dr.REITERER |
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The decision in
the 1980s that the European single market
required a single currency led to the successful
launch of the euro in 1999. Euro notes and
coins were launched in 2002. The euro today
is part of the daily lives of 310 million
Europeans from 12 EU Member States, representing
about one sixth of world GDP and one fifth
of world trade.
Macroeconomic stability was among the main
achievements of the euro. However, the euro’s
impact has extended beyond the euro area
becoming the second most important international
currency, for example in the international
debt market. More EU countries will adopt
the euro, Slovenia being the first among
the new Member States to introduce the euro
from January 2007.
Following on from two earlier symposiums
on the euro, held in Tokyo in 2001 and 2004,
we are happy to present this symposium in
Osaka, coorganised with the Osaka City University,
which looks at what the European experience
can offer to Asian countries. |
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Michael Reiterer
Minister, Deputy Head of Delegation
Delegation of the European Commission to Japan
(Currently the EU Ambassador to Switzerland) |
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Interest in Asian regional
integration or “the East Asian Community (EAC)”
is on the rise in Japan. Due to this, Osaka City
University has decided to hold an international
symposium that will discuss how to promote this
concept, by looking to an integrated Europe that
has accumulated much experience over the past 50-plus
years. |
Due to the presence of many leading European and
Asian authorities at the symposium, which is being
held with the full cooperation of the European Commission,
we believe it will be a noteworthy gathering in
terms of both size and impact.
We sincerely hope that a diverse range of people
will attend this event. |
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Prof. Dr. TABATA Riichi, |
Dean, Graduate School of Economics, Osaka
City University(OCU) |
Prof. Dr. YAMASHITA Eiji, |
Chairman, Organizing Committee
of the 14th OCU International Academic Symposium |
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