Since the 1st January 1999,eleven of the fifteen European countries have decided to change their currency to the Euro. This "Euroland" is made up of Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Luxembourg, Italy, Finland, Austria, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany. The four remaining countries who did not join are Denmark, Greece, Sweden, and the U. K.
The Euro will not be introduced for use in cash transactions until the year 2002. For half of the year the Euro money will run alongside the already existing currencies, but after six months these countries currencies will be completely replaced by the Euro.