28/05/2001 (Agence Europe) - Commissioner Pedro Solbes called on several large European companies to play the part of a catalyst by inciting their suppliers to prepare for the Euro. The large companies have a very useful role to play, stated Mr Solbes during a roundtable with the co-ordinators for the transition to the Euro from 19 companies as large as Air France, Bass, Carrefour, Siemens, Nokia, McDonalds or Fiat. For example, a good number of them have already asked their suppliers for invoices to be set out in Euro as of this year. Some have put forward the difficulties faced in these small companies, both at the level of updating the computer material and with regards to internal organisation