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The European Monetary Union Essay

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The European Monetary Union

The European Monetary Union (EMU) serves as an economic necessity, a complement to the European single market, which is the free movement of people, goods, services, and capital within the European Union (EU). The Euro, a single currency created under ideals of the Maastricht Treaty, will strengthen European unity and constitute as a factor for stability, peace, and prosperity for all member states as well as potential participants like Great Britain.
Financial markets in Europe are profoundly affected by the Euro beginning from its launch on January 1, 1999. A single currency encourages more efficient, integrated markets with stronger financial flows and lower financing costs for borrowers. Government …show more content…

The overall benefit that the Euro will bring to Britain is a stable economic environment leading to low inflation and low interest rates. Member states achieve savings in four areas: reduction in costs due to the elimination of currency exchange, enforcement of efficiency through healthy competition in Euroland, stabilization of fluctuating interest rates, and creation of employment opportunities.
First, uniform currency will help to eliminate the costs associated with currency exchange within the Euro zone. It is predicted that the Euros will produce an estimated saving up to one percentage point of annual EU GDP each year. Second, the use of a single currency will allow buyers to easily compare prices among participating member states, which will stimulate competition across the borders. Tony Blair says, "Price transparency across the Euro zone will intensify competition and expose inefficiencies and other distortions of the single market" (48). In this manner, firms are pressured to cut costs and perform more efficiently in order to stay competitive.
Third, interest rates in all participating states will be equalized through the EMU. In addition, since participating member states are perceived to be credit-worthy, the borrowers in that country are likely to benefit from relatively low interest rates. Lastly, The EMU is not a direct source of new jobs, but it definitely creates a new

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