over the period from 1948 through 2008. We find that, with the introduction of the euro, trade imbalances among euro area … tends to be more balanced when nominal exchange rates are flexible. Intra-euro area imbalances also seem to have become more … persistent with the introduction of the euro, some of which is linked to labor market inflexibility. Reviewing the direction of …

derogation from adopting the euro as their currency (that is, each country joining the EU commits to replace its national … currency with the euro, but can choose when to request permission to do so). For most of these countries, adopting the euro … convergence with the rest of the euro area. …