New Year revellers in 12 European countries will be able to pay for their morning-after Alka-Seltzer with the new euro banknotes thanks, in part, to De La Rue in Gateshead.

The new currency will be rolled out from 1 January and will be available initially from ATMs.

De La Rue Gateshead became the first printer from a non-euro-using country to produce the banknotes after it was asked to take up the overspill from another manufacturer (PrintWeek, 29 June).

A spokesman for the firm confirmed that it had produced euro banknotes, but refused to confirm whether it would be involved with printing the UKs euros, if it decides to enter.

A spokesman for the European Central Bank (ECB) said that the notes were printed and were in the process of being distributed. However, he added that no UK printer had been decided on, if and when the currency is adopted.

"It really is too early to tell if De La Rue will produce those notes. Well have to see when they are needed and a decision has to be taken," he said.

A total of 15bn notes will be produced for the euro area and if placed end-to-end would stretch to the moon and back 2.5 times. Of these, 4.8bn are destined for Germany, 2.3bn for France and 2.4bn for Italy. Around 10bn notes are earmarked to replace national banknotes, with the balance as logistical stocks.

The notes range from five to 500 denominations with the 20 being the most numerous with 3.4bn having been manufactured.

However, the Union Network International (UNI) has repeated concerns that the currency changeover could threaten some of Europes 7,000 banknote-printing jobs.

Story by John Davies