Should Finland and Sweden Form a Monetary Union?

This paper surveys the future exchange rate policy of Finland and Sweden using the theory of optimal currency areas as a framework for the analysis. We examine which countries are most suitable to form a currency union with Finland and Sweden. The Finnish and Swedish economies display great similarities regarding industrial structure, business cycle patterns, migration and the design of economic policies. There are substantial differences between on the one hand Finland and Sweden, and on the other, many EU countries which are potential members of a future EMU. Our calculations give support for a Finnish-Swedish currency union and put a Finnish-Swedish membership of the EMU into question. Our results stress the importance of Finnish-Swedish co-operation in monetary matters. This could take many forms, of which a monetary union is one.