Dutch town prepares for 'E-day'

In the Dutch town where European leaders agreed to adopt a single European currency almost 10 years ago, builders were today wrapping up preparations for the national E-Day celebration.

The euro, which will become legal tender in 12 European countries tomorrow, was born in the southern Dutch city of Maastricht.

On December 8-9, 1991, European government leaders gathered in the town for a historic meeting designed to unite the European Community trade bloc both politically and economically.

This resulted in the ‘‘Maastricht treaty,’’ signed here two months later.

The city of 130,000 played host for the meeting because the Netherlands held the rotating presidency of the European Union at the time.

‘‘This is just a normal town. If we talk about the euro, it’s about the coins we are supposed to have for change on January 2. But that goes for any town in Europe,’’ said Rene Wouters, a local taxi driver.

Three EU members - Britain, Sweden and Denmark - have stayed out of the euro. In the other 12 member states, the currency was launched three years ago, not in the form of paper bills and coins but as a peg to which national currencies were fixed.

But for many, the first tangible evidence of European Monetary Union will be the new bills and coins in their pockets tomorrow.

The national euro event in the Netherlands will take place in Maastricht’s central square, a little more than a mile from where it all started.

Netherland Finance Minister Gerrit Zalm, who is attending the party with Prime Minister Wim Kok and central bank president Nout Wellink, will lead the euro welcoming ceremony, which coincides with the Dutch guilder farewell party.