In the eight years that we have been using the euro in our day to day lives, once complex transactions have now become effortless: there is no need to exchange money within the euro area and transferring money within the euro area has become very easy.
And, as consumers, wherever we are in the euro area, we can make uncomplicated payments by cash, card or the click of a mouse. Internationally, the euro is now widely recognised as a currency of major significance. There are some 12.5 billion euro banknotes circulating in Europe and beyond, representing a face value of more than € billion.