Deciding to Enter a Monetary Union : TheRole of Trade and Financial Linkages
Electronic Access:
Free Download. Use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this PDF file
Summary:
This paper evaluates the role of trade and financial linkages in the decision to enter a monetary union. We estimate a two-country DSGE model for the U.K. economy and the euro area, and use the model to compute the welfare trade-offs from joining the euro. We evaluate two alternative scenarios. In the first one, we consider a reduction of trade costs that occurs after the adoption of a common currency. In the second, we introduce interest rate spread shocks of the same magnitude as the ones observed during the recent debt crisis in Europe. The reduction of trade costs generates a net welfare gain of 0.9 percent of life-time consumption, while the increased interest rate spread volatility generates a net welfare cost of 2.9 percentage points. The welfare calculation suggests two ways to preserve the welfare gains in a monetary union: ensuring fiscal and financial stability that reduces macroeconomic country risk, and increasing wage flexibility such that the economy adjusts to external shocks faster.
Series:
Working Paper No. 12/240
Subject:
Economic integration Economic models Euro Area European Economic and Monetary Union Monetary unions Trade integration United Kingdom
English
Publication Date:
October 2, 2012
ISBN/ISSN:
9781475511437/1018-5941
Stock No:
WPIEA2012240
Format:
Paper
Pages:
52
Please address any questions about this title to publications@imf.org