The Dilemmas of Accession to the Euro-zone

Abstract

The paper deals with analysis of the crucial issues concerning economy's (including Poland's case) accession to the euro zone. The study starts with presentation of guidelines of the theory of optimum currency areas which should ensure in practice the predominance of possible gains from joining the euro zone over costs. This theory is a subject to critical evaluation from the viewpoint of coherence as well as of ability to be implemented in the European Union members. The consecutive step in research is a critical review of possible costs, opportunity costs and benefits from monetary integration that are extensively presented in the literature. This review leads to a conclusion concerning the limited possibility to make a worthy of confidence balance in this field. The study is concluded with the perspective of Poland joining the Economic and Currency Union which is formulated from the viewpoint of real convergence criteria. This, in turn, enables to answer the question whether Poland's accession is not a source of economic tension and costs. (original abstract)