MEP David Casa has met officials of the Bank of Valletta and of HSBC in relation to the changeover to the euro in Malta on 1 January.

“The banks,” he said, “have an important role in society, especially in a historic event such as that in January when we adopt the European currency,” Mr Casa said.

The BOV is the official bank of the National Euro Changeover Committee. Mr Casa said it was not just the currency that would change. Also needing to be changed were, for instance, the ATM systems, the EPOS systems, and cheque book printing.

HSBC in Malta were being consulted by HSBC in Slovakia about the strategy to be adopted for their changeover in January, 2009.

“This clearly showed that as a country we are serving as an example to other countries which aspired to adopt the euro,” Mr Casa said.

Mr Casa is a member of the European Parliament’s Economic Affairs and Monetary Committee, and rapporteur for Slovakia in its changeover to the euro.