| The grand duchy of Luxembourg was created an independent state in 1815 as a buffer between France and Prussia. During the next century or so, Luxembourg's borders were argued over frequently, a large chunk of the country was ceded to Belgium, and its neutrality was violated in both World Wars. It is not surprising, then, that since 1945 the government has regarded the integration of Europe as the best guarantee of its sovereignty. Luxembourg is a champion of European monetary union and is the first country to meet the performance targets for monetary union envisaged in the Maastricht Treaty signed in 1992. The country's politicians and bankers have no room for doubts as to whether monetary union will happen. "We have always thought in terms of certainty and we don't question it," says André Birget, head of capital markets at Banque Générale du Luxembourg. The banking sector is the cornerstone of the country's success. There are 221 banks crammed into Luxembourg city, and the grand duchy is ranked seventh in the world in terms of assets in foreign currencies, according to the Luxembourg Monetary Institute. On most economic measures, Luxembourg is the most successful country in Europe. |