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There are 19 countries that make up the Eurozone, but the Euro is not the official currency of the entire European Union. Only 19 of the 27 member states have adopted the Euro as their official currency.
Denmark and the United Kingdom have negotiated opt-outs from adopting the Euro, and Sweden has not yet met the necessary criteria to join the Eurozone. This means they continue to use their own national currencies, the Danish Krone, British Pound, and Swedish Krona respectively.
The Euro is also not used in several European microstates, including Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican City. These tiny countries have their own currencies and are not part of the Eurozone.
Take a look at this: Does Canada Have Their Own Currency
Countries Not Using the Euro
There are several European countries that don't use the Euro as their currency. In fact, there are seven EU countries that still use their own currency: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Sweden.
Consider reading: Countries That Use Us Currency
Bulgaria uses the lev, although it intends to switch to the Euro when it fulfils the required conditions. Poland uses the zloty as its local currency. Visitors to Hungary will need to exchange their money for the forint, while the Czech Republic's local currency is the koruna.
Here's a list of some of the countries that don't use the Euro:
- Albania - Lek
- Armenia - Dram
- Azerbaijan - Manat
- Belarus - Rouble
- Bosnia and Herzegovina - Convertible Mark
- Denmark - Krone
- Georgia - Lari
- Kazakhstan - Tenge
- Liechtenstein - Franc
- Moldova - Leu
- Norway - Krone
- North Macedonia - Denar
- Russia - Rouble
- Serbia - Dinar
- Switzerland - Franc
- Turkey - Lira
- United Kingdom - Sterling
- Ukraine - Hryvnia
Some countries, like Sweden, have chosen not to adopt the Euro, while others, like Norway, are not part of the EU and therefore don't use the Euro.
Switzerland
Switzerland is not a member of the European Union and uses its own currency, the Swiss Franc (CHF).
The Swiss Franc has a history of being a stable currency and holds great significance to Swiss identity.
Prices in Euros may be displayed for convenience, but merchants have the right to accept payment in Euros, and they usually provide change in Swiss Francs.
Switzerland has consistently voted against joining the EU to preserve its monetary autonomy.
The Swiss National Bank issues the Swiss Franc, giving the country control over its currency.
Broaden your view: Monetary Unit in Switzerland
Norway
Norway is a European Free Trade Association (EFTA) member and uses the Norwegian Krone (NOK) as its currency, regulated by Norges Bank, the country's central bank.
Norway has chosen to remain outside the European Union (EU) and the monetary union, prioritizing its autonomy over interest rate policies.
The country works closely with the EU within the European Economic Area (EEA) despite not using the Euro.
Norway has a consistent 70 per cent opposition to EU membership, as shown by polling data over the past decade.
This opposition has resulted in Norway's determination to abstain from becoming an EU member.
European Countries Not Using the Euro
European countries not using the Euro have their own unique currencies. Bulgaria, for example, uses the lev, although it plans to switch to the Euro when it meets the required conditions.
In total, 17 European countries don't use the Euro, including some EU member states. These countries have their own currencies, such as the Swedish krona, which is managed by Sveriges Riksbank.
The Czech Republic, another EU member state, uses the koruna as its local currency. This is just one of the many currencies used by European countries outside of the Eurozone.
Here's a list of some of the European countries not using the Euro:
- Bulgaria - Lev (лв)
- Czech Republic - Koruna (Kč)
- Denmark - Krone (DKr)
- Hungary - Forint (Ft)
- Poland - Zloty (Zl)
- Romania - Leu (-)
- Serbia - Dinar (DIN)
- Sweden - Krona (SKr)
- Switzerland - Franc (SFr)
- Turkey - Lira (₺)
- United Kingdom - Sterling (£)
- Ukraine - Hryvnia (₴)
- Albania - Lek (—)
- Armenia - Dram (֏)
- Azerbaijan - Manat (₼)
- Belarus - Rouble (Rbl)
- Bosnia and Herzegovina - Convertible Mark (KM)
- Georgia - Lari (₾)
- Iceland - Krona (Kr)
- Kazakhstan - Tenge (₸)
- Liechtenstein - Franc (SFr)
- Moldova - Leu (—)
- North Macedonia - Denar (DEN)
- Norway - Krone (NOK)
Some of these countries, like Sweden and Denmark, have chosen not to join the Eurozone due to concerns about losing control over their interest rate policies.
Why Countries Don't Use the Euro
Countries that don't use the Euro are primarily located outside the European Union, with some notable exceptions.
The UK, for example, held a referendum in 2016 and voted to leave the EU, known as Brexit, which led to their decision to no longer use the Euro.
Some countries have opted out of the Eurozone due to concerns about losing control over their monetary policy.
Denmark
Denmark is a member of the European Union, but it's chosen to keep its own currency, the Danish Krone (DKK), instead of adopting the Euro.
The Danish Krone has been in circulation since 1873, and the country's central bank, Danmarks National Bank, controls it.
Denmark made the decision to opt out of adopting the Euro back in 1992, using a provision in the Maastricht Treaty.
This means the country has maintained control over its monetary policy, which is a big deal for Denmark.
The Danish people have actually voted on adopting the Euro three times, with the most recent vote in 2000 resulting in a clear rejection of the common European currency.
Their preference for the DKK is largely due to concerns that adopting the Euro could lead to losing control over domestic monetary policy, making it a potential burden for the country.
For another approach, see: History of Central Bank Digital Currencies by Country
Economic Advantages of Maintaining National Currencies
Maintaining national currencies offers several economic advantages to countries. Control over monetary policy is one of the key benefits, allowing countries to respond to economic shocks independently.
Having an independent central bank is crucial in this regard. Non-euro countries have the advantage of having their own central banks, which can act as the lender of last resort for the country's debt.
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This means that in times of economic stress, these central banks can buy bonds to increase liquidity in the markets. For example, in the case of rising bond yields, a country's central bank can start buying bonds to stabilize the market.
Some non-euro countries have already experienced the benefits of having an independent central bank. For instance, countries like Sweden, Poland, and Hungary have their own currencies and central banks, which have allowed them to manage their economies independently.
Here are some non-euro countries that maintain their own currencies:
These countries have been able to respond to economic shocks independently, which has allowed them to maintain more control over their economies.
Currency Devaluation
Currency devaluation can be a powerful tool for countries facing economic challenges. It makes exports cheaper and more competitive, encouraging foreign investments.
Nations can devalue their currency to combat high inflation, high wages, reduced exports, or reduced industrial production. This can be done independently by non-euro countries as necessary.
The Eurozone, however, can't independently change euro valuation, affecting 19 other countries and controlled by the European Central Bank.
Key Takeaways
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There are 27 member countries in the European Union, but six of them don't use the euro as their currency.
These six countries have chosen to maintain their own currencies in order to have more control over certain key issues, such as setting monetary policy and handling national debt.
Denmark is one of these countries, having negotiated an opt-out with the European Union and keeping its own currency.
The countries that don't use the euro have the freedom to modulate inflation and devalue their currency in certain circumstances, giving them a level of financial independence.
Here are the countries that don't use the euro:
- Denmark
- The six other countries are not specified in the article, but they can be inferred to be the remaining 5 countries that are not in the Eurozone.
Sources
- https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/050515/why-these-european-countries-dont-use-euro.asp
- https://www.cntraveler.com/story/european-countries-that-dont-use-the-euro
- https://www.outlooktraveller.com/destinations/international/did-you-know-about-these-eu-countries-that-dont-use-the-euro
- https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1971413/full-list-european-countries-use-the-euro
- https://www.euronews.com/travel/2022/12/08/as-croatia-joins-the-euro-which-7-eu-countries-still-use-their-own-currency
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