Both the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) reacted positively to the Prime Minister's statement to the House of Commons on 23 February, outlining the UK's "national changeover plan" for preparing to join the "euro-zone" covered by the European single currency, if and when the decision to do so is taken. The government's policy is that Britain should join a successful single currency, provided that a range of economic conditions are met. Although the Prime Minister stressed that UK entry is not inevitable, and that the national changeover plan represents a "change of gear" not a change in policy, his announcement was widely interpreted as signalling the government's firm intention to adopt the euro and its expectation that the relevant economic conditions are likely to be in place shortly after the next UK election, due in 2001 or 2002. Representatives of both the CBI and the TUC have been involved in a high-level committee set up by the government to oversee preparatory work for joining the single currency.
The Confederation of British Industry and Trades Union Congress both welcomed the UK "national changeover plan" for potential UK entry into the European single currency, which was outlined by the Prime Minister in a statement to the House of Commons in February 1999.
Both the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) reacted positively to the Prime Minister's statement to the House of Commons on 23 February, outlining the UK's "national changeover plan" for preparing to join the "euro-zone" covered by the European single currency, if and when the decision to do so is taken. The government's policy is that Britain should join a successful single currency, provided that a range of economic conditions are met. Although the Prime Minister stressed that UK entry is not inevitable, and that the national changeover plan represents a "change of gear" not a change in policy, his announcement was widely interpreted as signalling the government's firm intention to adopt the euro and its expectation that the relevant economic conditions are likely to be in place shortly after the next UK election, due in 2001 or 2002. Representatives of both the CBI and the TUC have been involved in a high-level committee set up by the government to oversee preparatory work for joining the single currency.
The president of the CBI, Sir Clive Thompson, said he was encouraged by the government's plans to prepare for the euro, but that "what business still needs, if it is to invest substantially, is an unequivocal commitment to British entry." The CBI's formal position is to support the principle of UK membership of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) when the economic conditions are right. The CBI will be consulting its member organisations further on the issue over the next few months and carrying out an opinion survey. The results will be published in summer 1999.
TUC general secretary John Monks gave a "warm welcome" to the euro changeover plan: "This is an impressive piece of work, made all the more convincing by the way that the government has worked together with business and unions." The TUC is to hold a major conference in May 1999 to debate union attitudes towards the single currency. While the tone of the TUC's public comments about joining the euro has been widely seen as positive, its formal position is more neutral, taking account of the "euro-sceptic" stance of a number of left-led and public sector unions. However, the TUC's third-largest affiliate, the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU), is increasingly vocal in making the case for early UK entry to the single currency. The AEEU general secretary, Ken Jackson, has warned that, outside the euro, the UK will lose inward investment and jobs.
Eurofound priporoča, da to publikacijo navedete na naslednji način.
Eurofound (1999), UK social partners welcome euro changeover plan, article.
