The Euro has existed in one form or another for well over a decade. After much debate and scrutiny in 1991, it was decided that the Euro would be introduced. It officially became the currency of eleven European nations: Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, shortly thereafter. This introduction allowed for a single money supply throughout most of Europe caused increased transparency of Buisness to buisness prices and stocks throughout the nations adopting. Encouraging long-term investments between firms in different countries by eliminating exchange rate risk. The euro has allowed the European economy to profit from a currency unaffected by inflation. This enables businesses to plan their costs reliably and allows for stable future planning concerning trade within the member states Companies have been doing business across the continent using the Euro for some time now, So why is there such discussion over the sudden appearance of notes and coins.
             What do the introduction of paper currency and coins and the loss of the national currencies of the member states mean for the future of the European Union? Many Europeans have often been concerned with the European Union's goal of political integration. Whether or not they have a solid understanding of the day-to-day goings-on in Brussels, the role of the European Commission, The European Court of Justice, etc. they probably did not until now consider themselves of it. The European Union did things that helped or hindered each member state but it was "them", the E.U., or another member state that did it. The Euro forces even those who doubt, the E.U. or are ambivalent towards it to view themselves as of it, as European, and identity is an important part of any political institution. 10 billion pieces of paper has done something that years of treaties and wars have been unable to do, When Italians, Spaniards, and Belgia...