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Euro Area Ten Years after Its Creation: (Divergent) Competitiveness and the Optimum Currency Area Theory

Author

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  • João Rebelo Barbosa
  • Rui Henrique Alves

Abstract

As the euro is on its second decade, the European sovereign debt crisis and the ever more evident disparities in competitiveness among member states are prompting many to question whether monetary union is bringing more benefits than costs. The optimum currency area (OCA) theory provides a framework with several criteria for such analysis. In such context, we start by a descriptive analysis of the first twelve euro countries under six criteria, leading to a mixed conclusion on whether the EMU is closer or farther to fulfil them. Then we assess the impact of five OCA criteria on countries’ relative competitiveness. Differences in the growth of unit labour costs, the dissimilarity of trade and the differences in output growth were found to be the most significant. This way, we identify some causes of the divergent competitiveness between some EMU countries that contributed to weaker economic growth in some of them. Key words: Optimum currency area, Euro area, Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), Competitiveness.JEL: E42, E63, F15, F33, F41.

Suggested Citation

  • João Rebelo Barbosa & Rui Henrique Alves, 2011. "Euro Area Ten Years after Its Creation: (Divergent) Competitiveness and the Optimum Currency Area Theory," Panoeconomicus, Savez ekonomista Vojvodine, Novi Sad, Serbia, vol. 58(5), pages 605-629.
    • Handle: RePEc:voj:journl:v:58:y:2011:i:5:p:605-629:id:333
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Optimum currency area; Euro area; Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); Competitiveness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E42 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Monetary Sytsems; Standards; Regimes; Government and the Monetary System
    • E63 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Comparative or Joint Analysis of Fiscal and Monetary Policy; Stabilization; Treasury Policy
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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