Your XML parser is expecting UTF-8 by default, and that's exactly what you are using here, so why would you change that? Otherwise there is Text::Iconv which can convert almost any character encoding into what you need.

Using the euro char has its own particular weirdness in connection with XML as explained here: Euro-XML (xml.com). This has more to do with abusive use of control characters on some widely used platforms than anything else, however.

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Cheers, Joe