Brussels, 05/07/2001 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Parliament adopted the report by Jules Maaten (ELDR, NL), by 431 votes to 27 and 88 abstentions, in which it calls despite the firm opposition of the ECB for automatic distributors in all countries of the zone concerned to be supplied in euros in order to be able to provide consumers with small notes from 27 December 2001 (see EUROPE of 5 July, p.8 and p.9, and 25/26 June, p.16). In this report on the means of helping economic players overcome the challenge of changeover to the euro, MEPs also hope that January sales will be held earlier or later than usual (end December or late January), so that the introduction of notes and coins does not coincide with one of the retail trade's busiest moments. The Parliament considers that the introduction euro cash should not bring about "hidden" price increases. It invites Member States to round figures off in the citizens' favour for amounts fixed at administrative level (fines, social payments). As a number of travellers possess coins issued by other Member States that they will not be able to exchange in their country, MEPs recommend that they be allowed to exchange these coins according to the same conditions as for notes.