Italy: Aspromonte Park Local Currency Experiment
The Italian Daily La Repubblica carried an article on 17 December which announces an officially sanctioned experiment with a local currency - the Eco-Aspromonte - intended to lift the economic fortunes of one of the most economically depressed areas of the Italian South, the Aspromonte region.
Usury-free community currencies have been the subject of discussion of the recent International Seminar About Financial Responsibilities and UsuryFree Community Currencies at the University of Quebec in Montreal.
We may need to expand upon this idea, if we ever are to restore balance in this world's economics.
Here is an English translation of the article:
La Repubblica - 17 December 2003:
Presented at the Milan stock exchange, in collaboration with Banca Etica
An eco-currency for the Aspromonte Park
Milan - An eco-currency to start off the Park, to re-launch the economy in the economically depressed Aspromonte area. It is a real currency, minted by the State Printing and Coinage Institute and which has the support of Banca Popolare Etica of Padova, the first bank for solidarity and development in Europe, which was recently established and is fully recognized. The purpose of this currency is to revitalize the local economy. It will be co-existing with the Euro. The new money was named the Eco-Aspromonte and it is the first (official) experiment with a "local currency of limited circulation".
The project was initiated by the Aspromonte National Park Authority and the currency was presented in Milan, in the Stock Exchange offices. The functionality of the new currency and the motivations that led to the establishment of the new Eco-Aspromonte currency were presented by Tonino Perna, president of the Aspromonte National Park Authority and by Fabio Selviato, the president of the Padova Bank.
"Yes, it's an experiment, but mainly it is a bid - says Tonino Perna, president of the Park Authority - to re-launch productive economic activities in the Park's area and to strengthen local identity. Among other things, it will be a strong element of curiosity and a tourist attraction, it will promote the sales of typical goods and products of the area and will even be valued simply as a gadget. In fact the bank notes also have esthetic value - they were designed by various artists chosen through a nation-wide contest."
How does this all work in a real setting? First of all, it will be possible to use the currency in all shops which are either within the confines of the National Park or which have an agreement with the Park Authority to accept it. The exchange rate is fixed at 1 Euro = 1 Eco-Aspromonte, and there are four denominations: 1, 2, 5 and 10 Eco-Aspromonte, payable upon demand to the bearer.
The banknotes also have an expiry date, which prevents accumulation of idle cash thus avoiding the currency being used as a "store of value". However, before the expiry date, the owner of Eco-Aspromonte banknotes has the right to convert them into Euro currency at the authorized exchange offices.
The Aspromonte National Park Authority in fact is already choosing and publicizing the offices which will be functioning as centers for money-changing as well as for monitoring the circulation of the currency. There will also be special agreements with commercial and tourist operators and local authorities to link the use of the currency with some benefits which will provide an incentive for visitors and tourists to change their Euro into Eco-Aspromonte.
"So it will be profitable for visitors to buy with the Park's money - concludes Perna - and this will permit the promotion of employment opportunities and to increase local productive activities, especially for young people. At the same time, we intend to reinforce the cultural identity of the Park, to promote responsible and ecologically sound tourism, the consumption of the Park area's typical products, energy-saving and production of renewable energy.
(17 December 2003)
... And here a German translation of the article:Artikel in La Repubblica - 17. Dezember 2003:
(Deutsche Übersetzung von Josef Hasslberger)
An der Mailänder Börse vorgestellt, in Zusammenarbeit mit der Banca Etica
Eine Öko-Währung für den Aspromonte Park
Mailand - Eine Öko-Währung, um den Aspromonte Park zu lanzieren und um die Wirtschaft des verarmten Aspromonte Gebiets anzukurbeln. Es ist eine wirkliche Währung, geprägt vom Staatlichen Drucklegungs- und Prägeinstitut. Das Projekt wird von der vor kurzem gegründeten und nun voll anerkannten Banca Popolare Etica di Padova, der ersten Bank für Solidarietät und Entwicklung in Europa, unterstützt. Der Zweck dieser Währung ist, die örtliche Wirtschaft neu zu beleben und sie wird mit dem Euro koexistieren. Die neue Währung wird als Eco-Aspromonte bezeichnet und sie stellt das erste offizielle Experiment mit einer "örtlichen Währung mit beschränktem Umlauf" dar.
Das Projekt wurde von der Aspromonte National Park Authority initiiert, und die Präsentation der Währung fand in Mailand statt, im Bürogebäude der Börse. Die Funktionalität des neuen Geldes und die Motivationen, die zur Einrichtung der neuen Eco-Aspromonte-Währung führten, wurden von Tonino Perna, dem Präsidenten der Aspromonte National Park Authority und von Fabio Selvato, dem Präsidenten der Padovaner Bank, erläutert.
"Ja, es ist ein Experiment, aber vor allem ist es ein Versuch, sagt Tonino Perna, Präsident der Parkautorität, produktive Wirtschaftstätigkeiten im Gebiet des Parks und die örtliche Identität zu stärken. Unter anderem wird es ein starkes Element von Interesse und eine Touristenattraktion darstellen, es wird den Verkauf typischer Güter und Produkte des Gebietes fördern und auch einfach als Gadget geschätzt werden. In der Tat haben die Banknoten auch esthetischen Wert, sie wurden von durch einen landesweiten Wettbewerb ausgewählten Künstlern entworfen.
Wie funktioniert das nun in der Wirklichkeit? Vor allem wird es möglich sein, die Währung in allen Geschäften zu benutzen, die innerhalb der Grenzen des Nationalpark liegen und von anderen, die ein Abkommen mit der Park Authority haben. Der Wechselkurs wird mit 1 Euro = 1 Eco-Aspromonte festgelegt und es gibt vier Einheiten: 1, 2, 5 und 10 Eco-Aspromonte, zahlbar an den Träger.
Die Geldscheine verlieren nach einer bestimmten Zeit ihre Gültigkeit, um die Ansammlung müßigen Bargeldes und damit den Gebrauch der Währung als "Wertspeicher" zu verhindern. Aber innerhalb des Gültigkeitszeitraums hat der Besitzer von Eco-Aspromonte Geldscheinen das Recht, sie jederzeit bei den befugten Wechselstuben in Euro zu konvertieren.
Die Aspromonte National Park Authority arbeitet in der Tat schon an der Auswahl und Bekanntgabe der Zentren, die als Wechselstuben sowie als Überwachungsorgan des Kreislaufes der Währung funktionieren werden. Es wird auch Sonderabkommen mit kommerziellen und touristischen Unternehmen sowie mit den Kommunalverwaltungen geben, welche die Verwendung der Währung mit einigen 'Benefits' verbinden, die Besuchern und Touristen einen Anreiz geben werden, ihre Euro in Eco-Aspromonte umzuwechseln.
"Deshalb wird es für Besucher vorteilhaft sein, mit dem Geld des Parks zu kaufen, schließt Perna, und dies wird die Schaffung von Arbeitsplätzen, besonders für junge Leute, und die Förderung örtlicher produktiver Aktivitäten, erlauben. Gleichzeitig beabsichtigen wir, die kulturelle Identität des Parks zu verstärken, sowie eine verantwortliche und ökologische Form des Tourismus, den Verbrauch von typischen Produkten des Parkgebietes, Energieeinsparung und die Energieproduktion aus erneuerbaren Ressourcen, zu fördern."
(17. Dezember 2003)Another more recent (August 2004) article: Arriva l'altra moneta - Ecoaspromonte valido in 37 paesi
The Eco Aspromonte, intended to help the local economy of the Aspromonte area, will be valid in 37 communities within the park's area, promoting tourism and keeping the money in the economically disadvantaged area of the park. It is the only local currency printed by a government printing office - the exchange rate is 1:1 with the Euro.What Are Complementary Currency Systems?
Complementary Currency Systems are appropriately-designed social and economic networks which encourage cooperation and reciprocation, self-reliance and mutual aid, local production for local needs, socio-economic solidarity and economic justice for the meeting of needs, cultural revitalization, socio-economic harmony and rural reconstruction. They use a medium of exchange that circulates together with the national currency to support the local economy...
posted by Sepp Hasslberger on Sunday December 21 2003
updated on Tuesday December 21 2010URL of this article:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2003/12/21/italy_aspromonte_park_local_currency_experiment.htm
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