The National Euro Changeover Committee has reached an agreement with the National Women’s Council for the two entities to work together over the coming months to help women who take care of their family’s finances in the changeover from the lira to the euro.

The agreement was signed yesterday, two days after Malta was given the green light by the European Union to replace the lira with the euro as the national currency on 1 January.

NECC executive director Alan Camilleri and council president Doreen Micallef signed the accord after a training course for 11 people who will be themselves providing training to women who manage their family’s finances.

The agreement obliges the council to help in the changeover process, attend training courses and organise public training courses for women. The NEEC bound itself to provide such training through a twinning agreement with France and to hold an information and education campaign for women.

Mr Camilleri explained that through this agreement, a number of trainers were given training on how to manage a family’s budget and plan expenses. This training is being given by a French organisation that holds similar courses in various regions in France. The people who were trained over the past days included members of the National Council of Women and volunteers who applied with the NECC to help in the changeover process. So far, 60 people have shown such an interest.

Ms Micallef said that the role of women in the changeover from the lira to the euro was a determining factor.

Mr Camilleri thanked Marie Veronique-Bryon from the “Finances and Pedagogie” organisation, which is holding the training courses.