Peer Steinbruck Quotes

The Euro was a terrible mistake, one that is very difficult to unmake.

Europe is one thing. The euro is something else.

Some countries that are close to Europe that already hold Deutschemarks, clearly would automatically hold euros, those are countries in Eastern Europe mainly, a few countries in Africa.

In reality, the euro is a currency created by Germany for Germany. It’s a suit that only fits Germany.

The heart of the matter is that the very nature of the European Union, and of this country's relationship with it, has fundamentally changed after the coming into being of the European monetary union and the creation of the eurozone, of which - quite rightly - we are not a part.

A national currency, with the Euro as a common currency - that wouldn't bother me.

While it was an experiment to bring them together, nothing has divided Europe as much as the euro.

The euro is going to continue to be the largest single trading block.

It's political glue inside Europe to keep it together - the euro is the best thing going for it since the creation of the common market.

Indeed, the creators of the euro envisioned it as an instrument to promote political union.

Europe must dissipate any doubts over the euro, affirm that the euro is an irreversible project and act in consequence.

It seems like cloud cuckoo land... If anyone is suggesting that I would go to Parliament and suggest the abolition of the pound sterling — no! ... We have made it quite clear that we will not have a single currency imposed on us.

I think there are going to be more countries joining the euro.

Our future begins on January 1 1999. The euro is Europe's key to the 21st century. The era of solo national fiscal and economic policy is over.

We have no intention of leaving the euro. In no way will we experiment with the future of our country.

The 1992 crisis proved that the existing system was unstable. Not moving forward to the euro would have set up Europe for even more disruptive crises.

Integration is the most important asset Europe has, and the key component to European integration is the euro.

But I would bet that the euro continues to exist and that its importance as a global currency will likely increase.

The euro area must not be treated as an 'opt out' from the European Union.

I have never said I would adopt the euro. Not today, not tomorrow, not in five years. We will introduce the euro when it will benefit Poles and Poland.

A single currency entails a fixed interest rate, which means countries can't manage their own currency to suit their own needs. You need a variety of institutions to help nations for which the policies aren't well suited. Europe introduced the euro without providing those structures.

It's in our interests that the euro is a successful, strong currency.

I can understand countries don't want to join the euro, but they cannot impede the consolidation and strengthening of the eurozone.

A country outside the euro zone cannot have a veto over countries in the euro zone.

The strongest institution in the hands of the European Union is the euro.