Are Optimum Currency Area (OCA) Theory Criteria Endogenous to Regime Change? The Case of the European Monetary Union (EMU) Before and After 1999

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Chukwuemeka
Keyword(s):  
Monetary Union ◽  
European Monetary Union ◽  
Regime Change ◽  
Optimum Currency Area ◽  
European Monetary ◽  
Currency Area ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Optimum Currency

scholarly journals EMU – “Optimum” or “Viable” Currency Area?

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreea Bucur
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Economic Integration ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
European Monetary Union ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Optimum Currency Area ◽  
European Monetary ◽  
European Union Enlargement ◽  
Currency Area ◽  
Optimum Currency

Although the increasing heterogeneity as an effect of European Union enlargement, referring especially to the last two waves, is perceived as a single internal market and also euro single currency risk, European Monetary Union represents an important step towards deepening economic integration. Controversy on the Optimum Currency Area issue has created difficulties in empirical research effort to find appropriate responses to the EMU dilemma: is Euro zone an „optimum” or rather “viable” currency area?

scholarly journals Fiscal stabilisation policy in the EMU. An insight from the theory of optimum currency areas

2020 ◽  
pp. 43-60
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Misiak
Keyword(s):  
Economic Integration ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
European Monetary Union ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Optimum Currency Areas ◽  
European Monetary ◽  
Theoretical Underpinning ◽  
Stabilisation Policy ◽  
Currency Area ◽  
Optimum Currency

The aim of the paper is to examine the role and place of the fiscal stabilisation policy in the European Monetary Union (EMU) from the perspective of the theory of optimum currency areas (OCA). We examine the theoretical underpinning for the policy to mitigate the economic fluctuations in a monetary union, and answer the questions of whether fiscal integration is a prerequisite for the “optimality” of a currency area and at what level of governance a stabilising fiscal policy should be conducted. We conclude with a short revision of how OCA theory is applied to the project of monetary and economic integration in the European Union (EU) and some conclusions for future development and research.

Is the GCC an optimum currency area (OCA)? Empirical answers from co-movements

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 873-890
Author(s):  
Tamsir Cham
Keyword(s):  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Monetary Union ◽  
Current Account ◽  
Oil Prices ◽  
Current Account Balance ◽  
Annual Data ◽  
Optimum Currency Area ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Currency Area ◽  
Optimum Currency

Purpose This paper aims to investigate whether the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is an optimum currency area in the wake of the global financial crisis and low oil prices using annual data from 2000 to 2016. Design/methodology/approach It applies the European Monetary Union as a reference point and co-movement methodology on key variables such as gross domestic product, inflation, terms of trade and current account balance. The findings revealed that all countries meet the macroeconomic convergence criteria and there is greater co-movement of these variables in the GCC. Findings Furthermore, the degree of co-movements increases during the financial crisis and recent low oil prices, which signifies the synchronization of shocks. However, labor is less mobile in the region and current account balance co-movement is relatively weak, but with the endogeneity of a monetary union, these constraints will evaporate as the zone enters monetary unification. The paper recommends that for the GCC monetary union to happen and be sustainable, there needs to be political will. The paper also recommended for the zone to have a common identification card so that nationals can move and work freely within the GCC region. Originality/value The study defers from the others in the following: this paper considered shock synchronization and co-movement methodology, which has not been applied in the region to assess its feasibility as an OCA.

Effective European monetary union in the light of the optimum currency area; model countries: Germany and Poland

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ergin Akalpler
Keyword(s):  
Monetary Union ◽  
Unit Root ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Panel Cointegration ◽  
Monetary Integration ◽  
Optimum Currency Area ◽  
Single Currency ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Currency Area ◽  
Optimum Currency

PurposeThis study aims to research the effects of unemployment wages current account and consumer price index (CPI) on the real gross domestic product (RGDP), which, in the optimum currency area (OCA) theory, supposes that countries with higher factor mobility can significantly profit from the currency area. However, in this study, it is shown that the considered optimum currency crisis (OCC) model is affected by mobility factors, as the defined theory has not been perfectly realised in the Eurozone.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, Breusch–Pagan–Godfrey and Lagrange multiplier (LM) tests are used for supporting the survey for better estimation of the panel cointegration tests, where Pedroni's (1995, 1997) technique is used. The unit root tests are employed, of which the Phillip–Perron and augmented Dickey–Fuller tests (unit root test, Dickey, D. and W. Fuller, 1979) are considered.FindingsIt can be concluded that demand shocks will tend to be more asymmetric instead of being symmetric, even though they are in the customs union (CU). However, Polish workers in a given scenario may move to Germany, but because of the rigidity of the labour market and qualification differences between workers, the interregional integration of member countries is reduced, and this reduces the absorption of asymmetric shocks. In Germany, where strong employment protection and rigidity are observed in comparison to Poland, although there has been historical migration and economical collaboration, unfortunately, the integration of the two countries’ economies has not been realised.Research limitations/implicationsQuantitative research on fiscal union and the estimation of its effects is not possible because there is no practical experience of fiscal union throughout the European Union (EU). However, quantitative research is used for estimating the effects of OCA in the Eurozone. Quantitative investigation is particularly focused on the monetary union and single currency and its impact on growth rate. In this study, the ordinary least squares (OLS) method and panel cointegration test are employed for estimating the effects of the considered variables.Practical implicationsThe Eurozone and the application of a single currency throughout the EU was a considerably difficult task. In addition, the adoption of a single currency was not easy for those member countries that fulfilled the “convergence criteria” (or “Maastricht criteria”) and who joined the Eurozone, because only adoption is not enough; maintenance of those criteria is also required. This study analysed the application of the Eurozone in the light of the OCA of Mundel's theory.Social implicationsThe OCA is important for member countries’ economic relations. However, the application of a single currency is not easy and needs to be controlled and regulated to ensure best practises throughout the Eurozone. Monetary integration is not a simple process, and Eurozone countries’ financial difficulties affect each other’s markets’ indifferent aspects. Particularly in any market recession, demand shocks tend to have different effects. Furthermore, in comparison to the monetary union, the CU has a considerable impact on trade enlargement.Originality/valueIn this study, the effects of the independent variables “wages, unemployment, CPI and capital flow” on the dependent variable “RGDP” is considered, which, in the OCA theory, supposes that countries with higher factor mobility can significantly profit from the currency area. In application, it was turned into crisis because of inadequate monetary and fiscal application. In this paper OCA is questioned in the light of the Eurozone for bringing better understanding to these difficulties. The considered model and estimations are used for evaluating to create sustainable monetary integration for economic growth.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document