"I believe that joining the Single European Currency brings more benefits to our business than problems, but such a motion will never get through a referendum because the electrate have an overwhelming desire to keep the pound."

"As long as the joining of the Single European Currency is an economic rather than a political one it will be very successful. All the problems the ECU countries have at present have been caused by the political decision to have as many countries in the ECU as possible rather than have them join when they meet the economic criteria (in which case there would have been at most half a dozen countries involved) So far the government has got it exactly right."

"I believe that over time as the Euro Zone further adopts the use of the ECU as a trading currency we may be at a disadvantage to our competitors within the zone if we are ourselves not offering ECU pricing."

"A lot of my business wants to pay me in euros but I have nothing to spend them on. We must get realistic I am not alone in this. "

"It would almost inevitably lead to VAT on publications which would harm my business"

"The single currency isn't really the point. The euro is just another foreign currency like any other, we don't stop trading with the USA because we are not in a currency union with them. It is really about who governs our country, people who we elect and can get rid of, or unelected bureaucrats living in another country. WE should be able to decide how our country is run and our businesses are regulated, we should not have this forced upon us by foreigners under a majority voting system, intent on looking after their own interests. It just results in scandals like the Common Fisheries Policy or the beef ban. All to our detriment. They are always talking about "unfair competition" to justify further restrictions, the only competition which is unfair is when governments are involved."

"Two-thirds of my company's revenue comes from continental Europe. I quote in euros and accept payment in euros. My clients expect it and I am constantly apologising for my country's backwardness in recognising the importance of a common currency and our general diffidence towards the EU."

"British businessmen and women would have even less influence on their currency through government and the markets if the Euro replaced Sterling"

"While we support in principle the idea of easier trading with Europe we're afraid that we do not trust the current administration to negotiate the terms of entry to our best advantage. This is partly due to a lack of experience in government and a culture of political UK vote rigging and power building coming before national interests"

"We would not anticipate any direct effect because the nature of our business is interwoven with health & social service provision under UK law"

"Joining would mean fixed links (in theory) to other currencies, so assist exports which presently have declined by about 6/10 (for us). But eventually joining would result in total loss of economic control within UK - if (and it is a big if) the other member countries hold it together long enough. Though it must be said that the member countries need to hold it together because their individual economies are in such poor shape that only the size of the whole is giving stability to the parts."

"I would like to think that it would make transactions easier, however, in practice it probably wouldn't because in the limited dealings I have had with Europe (especially France), they don't pay in any currency! I wonder how legislation could be improved there."

"The pound should stay, fixed alignment with other currencies would suit the same purposes."

"There are in my opinion 2 questions: is the principle of a unified currency across multiple countries an objective which we should try to achieve, and secondly should the UK join the Single European Currency as it is currently envisaged. There are a large number of problems with the currently envisaged scheme, and to an extent politicians are using the join/don't join question as a political tool rather than considering the ideals. I suspect a large number of people who are against joining the Euro are not against a single European or even World currency itself, but against the means currently being adopted or considered to achieve it."

"joining the Euro will result in equalisation of taxes. As the UK has amongst the lowest taxes in Europe reaching an "average" tax level in the EU will mean a hike for UK taxpayers. There will also be pressure (there has been already) for the standardisation of a number of fiscal policies, meaning that the EU will decide these for us in the future."

"It will have no direct effect on my company but will have a massive effect on the economy as a whole and therefore my business"

"I think the UK really has to join the Euro if we are to continue to compete successfully in Europe."

"It is likely to affect my business because, in time, taxation and regulation of businesses is likely to rise."

"Positive effect quotes for work with EEU companies would not be affected by currency fluctuations"

"split feeelings on this one. From the personal viewpoint I am worried about a Federal Europe. We voted for a 'Common Market' i.e. trading with less hassles. But things have changed dramatically e.g. name 'European Union' suggests a totally different animal; this is born out by legislation into non-trading issues e.g smacking of children - legal or not legal - what has that to do with a 'Common Market'. Personally I, like the vast majority of individuals want to remain just that an individual within a nation not a Federal Republic - have we learnt anything from the last 2000 years of history? An organisation (empire, union call it whatever you fancy) does not survive at that long. Why are we heading relentlessly into a 'centralisation' of very very different nations, cultures etc that even the 'Soviet Union' could not sustain and have dismantled?

From a business point of view I still hold to the reason for why I voted yes to the Common Market. Ease of trading, lowering of barriers re trade. That is why I can see benefits from the Euro. However I would like to see the Euro as an additional currency not, as I suspect it will become, a total replacement for the national currencies.

It can be argued that we are in the birthing process of what the States of America did so long ago. Perhaps this argument is true to an extent; however I return to my initial point - the Common Market was sold to us by the politicians as just that. At least the States of America knew that integration would be total. We are told that the best place to argue our position is from within something. So even if the majority does not want us join the Euro we cannot best argue our case if we do not belong to it, therefore we join anyway. Odd logic.

We are reminded that we sound our voice every time we vote. True but we need facts facts facts not political point scoring hype thank you. Interesting to see the recent European Elections played down when compared to national/local elections. Where were the facts, where was the politicking, where was the hype even. Hiding in the apathy perchance?

People I talk with want to know facts, straight talking please, and then make an informed choice. A straight yes or no question, not a longwinded loosely worded 'politically loaded with a backdoor cop out for every politician in the land' type question."

"I have just returned from the British Council of Shopping Centres Conference in Manchester and observed that the vast majority of keynote speakers in their presentation had a European dimension. This was a part of their everyday world and provided an interesting contrast to the political furore outside the conference hall."

"I feel that if we wish to be part of Europe then we should join the Single European Currency, whether we should be part of Europe is another debate!!!!!!"

"I feel that continuing on the route that our Government is taking us, it will be inevitable in the long term that we shall become a state of Europe. However given a choice I would prefer to become a state of America than of Europe."

"It is important not to lose UK sterling asset values by joining a depreciating euro but removing exchange rate variances would simplify administration and avoid profit/loss risks on exchange."

"We will have to trade in the euro whether we like it or not in January 2001 - the UK goverment has already committed us. If we did not use it as our curency it would mean that we have to trade in both sterling and euro, all goods would have to be marked in both currencies and the only people who would make a major profit from all this would be the banks who would up their charges. The, so called, referendum will not be worth anything if the people vote not to go over to the euro as it will only mean that we deal in dual currency. As usual we have been sold down the line. From a business point of view, we are bookkeepers and accountants and as such would have to sort out the ensuing mess our clients would get into - but, it begs the question - would they make enough to pay us in view of all the other high charges this will bring? "