Euro countdown - Politics Europeans are 'ready for fresh reform drive' European policymakers on Thursday urged a fresh drive for structural economic reforms in the eurozone after the successful launch of euro notes and coins. |  Read Fabius begs bank workers not to strike Laurent Fabius, the French finance minister, begged French bank workers not to go ahead with a planned strike on January 2. He urged them not to spoil the "historic changeover" from the franc to the euro. |  Read Strike plans abandoned as Greece prepares for euro Greek bank employees have dropped a threat to mark the launch of the euro with a strike after management agreed to pay an E450 monthly bonus in January and Februray - the period when drachmas will be pulled out of circulation. |  Read More citizens support EU membership Support for European Union membership has grown throughout the 15 member states over the past year and the majority of citizens believe their countries have benefited from being part of the EU, according to an opinion poll published on Friday. |  Read German minister attacks banks over euro launch Renate Kunast, Germany's consumer affairs minister, was involved in a dispute with the banking industry over opening arrangements on January 1 2002, the launch day for euro notes and coins. |  Read French and German unions seek big pay rises Trade unions in Germany and France are lining up to press big pay claims in a year that will see the introduction of euro notes and coins and national elections in both countries. |  Read Introduction of euro boosts Irish budget The Irish government is to bolster next year's budget by recouping from the central bank the one-off profits it is set to make on the introduction of euro notes and coins. |  Read Banks forced to cut euro transfer costs The European Union finally agreed rules to force banks to reduce the cost of cross-border transfers in euros from 2003 after defeating opposition from a number of member states led by Germany. |  Read Finnish dispute as state uses euro as pretext for price rises Finland's campaign to prepare consumers for the launch of euro notes and coins in January has suffered a setback with a public dispute over euro-related price rises planned by the government itself. |  Read German retailers attack plans Germany's retailers and consumer protection agencies rounded on the government for failing to overcome deep scepticism about the introduction of euro notes and coins next January. |  Read Belgium aims to ease euro launch Belgium, the new holder of the European Union's rotating presidency, signalled its determination to prepare the successful introduction of euro notes and coins by putting the issue on the agenda of a special EU summit in Ghent in October. |  Read