Eurozone

eurozone: Effective New Year's Day, Latvia becomes the eurozone's 18th member. With only 2 million people, the country on the Baltic Sea can't move the economic needle much. Its acceptance into the euro club mainly represents a political boost for a currency that is only 12 years old and finding its feet after a vicious financial crisis, according to Times Colonist. What lies ahead for the euro economies in the coming year and beyond? Here are a half-dozen questions, and statistics and assessments to help answer them and BRUSSELS - The euro currency union, which just 18 months ago appeared on the verge of collapse, is welcoming a new member. But while officials will hail that as more proof that the bloc is here to stay, the economy still faces a list of economic ills sluggish growth, high unemployment and growing inequality. The eurozone, proclaimed EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, is "stable, attractive and open to new members." (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.