20 years on, has the euro cash currency been a success?

Europe is marking 20 years of the euro. It's been a rollercoaster couple of decades for the single currency. For some, the euro has been a stabilizing factor for the continent. Others say it's driven up prices. As we wait to see what the future holds for the euro, let's first take a look at the past.

Which EU countries have adopted the euro

and when?

- On 1 January 1999, 11 EU countries launched the euro as their new common currency.
- The euro was initially an electronic currency.
- Euro banknotes and coins were introduced in 12countries in 2002.
- Today, the euro is the currency of 19 EU countries and over 340 million
Europeans.
- All EU countries except Denmark, which has an opt-out, are expected to join the monetary union and to introduce the euro as soon as they fulfil the convergence criteria.