Worrying about the euro next?

In a new study of current corporate issues, Bull Information Systems has found that 50% of UK businesses are already worrying about euro compliance - and they expect the challenge to be even more complicated than sorting out Y2K problems

. Even though the government has made no commitment to actually joining in with European monetary union, most companies believe they will be increasingly expected to have the capability to handle trade in euros. Bull says less than 20% of businesses are so far geared up to this.

The survey found that nearly three-quarters of UK companies have suppliers, and almost 70% have customers, in countries already committed to EMU. Clearly, these companies cannot isolate themselves from the implications of that, say the researchers.

Bull itself made the euro its 'official' currency in January - and other pan-European organisations will be making comparable moves. Many of the furniture companies represented in the UK but headquartered on the continent, for example, are ready for euro trading.

Elliott Chase