POLICY OF THE ECONOMIC AND MONETARY INTEGRATION OF THE NEW MEMBER STATES WITH THE EURO ZONE

Abstract

Integration of the New Member States with the euro zone and full realization of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) provides new economic opportunities. However, it requires fulÞ lment of the economic and legal convergence criteria, chich harmonize Þscal and monetary policies and incorporate the domestic central bank into the Eurosystem operations. Legal and economic adjustments require involvement of All sectors of the economy and public administration, and generate signiÞ cant adoption costs. The banking sector, as a main channel of transmission of euro currency to households and corporations incurs the highest costs. Additionally banks are expected to loss foreign exchange incomes. For the entire economy the largest share of the euro introduction costs constitute the costs of the IT adoption.