Flash Eurobarometer 335 (Views and Attitudes Related to the Euro in the 17 Euro-Area Countries)

Attitude towards the euro.<br>Topics: having the euro is a good thing for the EU; strengthened feeling of European identity due to euro; difficulty to distinguish and handle euro bank notes and specific coins; opinion about the number of existing coins; conversion from the price in euro to the national currency when it comes to exceptional and common purchases; usefulness of continued dual price displays (only in countries that introduced the euro in the last three years); prices increased during the changeover period (only in countries that introduced the euro in the last three years); travels outside the own country at least once a year; impact of the introduction: more convenient travel in other countries, easier price comparisons with other countries, save money by eliminating fees of currency exchange in other countries; preference for more or less co-ordination among euro-area governments; need for significant reforms to improve economy; successful reforms in other euro area countries facilitate reforms in the own country; governments need to save for the ageing populations; retirement age should be increased to ensure sustainability of the pension system; more effectiveness of economic reforms if they are carried out in a coordinated way at EU-level; economic fields with the most positive and the most negative effects from reforms in the own country ; importance of reforms to help increase growth and employment in the areas: labour market, health system, pension system, social security system, market reforms, taxation, education systems; inflation rate in the own country last year; expectations regarding the inflation rate in the current year; development of household income since last year and expectations for the current year.

Demography: age; sex; nationality; age at end of education; occupation; professional position; region; type of community; own a mobile phone and fixed (landline) phone; household composition and household size.

Additionally coded was: respondent ID; country; type of phone line; language of the interview; weighting factor.