Consideration on the single currency seen from a competitiveness perspective

Competitiveness is a concept referred to as a sine qua non condition of growth, at both micro and macroeconomic level. But there are few approaches looking at the single currency as an instrument of competitiveness measuring and promotion. The single currency represents a right step in the development of the integration process, contributing decisively to the accomplishment of the single market by enabling fluid and efficient financial relations among states, institutions and persons, but also by promoting and asserting the EU objectives of competitiveness and so acting as a binder for a sustainable and healthy development. The adoption of the single currency represents a step towards getting an increased level of competitiveness in national and international relations, as the conditions for joining the single currency imposed both to the member and candidate states to implement programs synergic with those included in their own strategies of competitiveness and subsequently they were presumed to accomplish objectives provided for by such strategies. Even if in the present and immediate periods euro and the euro zone will be subject to strong domestic and international pressure, we are convinced that the single currency will survive such trials and the necessary lessons will be learned, first of all by a more attentive consideration of competitiveness as the proper foundation for the existence and functioning of a healthy and strong single currency!