Exchange Rate Developments and Fundamentals in Four EU Accession and Candidate Countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Turkey

This paper deals with exchange rate challenges in the four potential EU Member States Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Turkey. For the two countries with freely floating currencies, Romania and Turkey, we evaluate possible exchange rate misalignments based on a monetary model of exchange rate determination. In the case of Bulgaria and Croatia, two countries with currency board and narrow-band peg arrangements against the euro, we discuss possible exit strategies. We argue that a continuation of their current exchange rate regimes is likely to represent an optimal strategy for these countries in the run-up to both EU membership and the eventual adoption of the euro.