The managed exchange rate system deals with trade rate between countries. Managed rates assume that one country sets the monetary policy, takes the exchange rate that is given, and assumes the other country will go along with that rate. The other country then tries to reduce inflation by setting their own exchange rate. The managed exchange rate system slows down exchange-rate movement through the foreign trade market intervention. The whole purpose behind the European Union is to maintain peace between the European counties, and to integrate them.
The ounding gentlemen of the EMS wanted to restore the integration of the European Communities. In 1949, the Council of Europe was founder to promote political and social unity in Europe. Later in 1952, the European Coal and Steel Community was started to allay fears of a military-industrial complex fuelling renascent German nationalism (Artis & Lee 5). Economic integration and unity was brought to a head in March of 1957 when the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community were formed. These two treaties were used to help stabilize and form the ECU.
All three of these rganizations/treaties were essential to forming what is today called the European Union. The European Union/European Monetary System failed for three basic reasons in the early 1990s. First of all, it failed because it was inefficient due to the low-inflation system and the recession in that time period. The recession elaborated on the conflicts between the member countries of the European Union. Second, it is not sufficiently competitive at the current rate of exchange. Third, the real interest rate of the world would need to decline drastically in order for the EU to work.
Also in the early 1990s there were smaller expectations of devaluations (DeGrauwe 131). The current European Union has been a result of recent treaties. The first treaty that was signed in February 1992 helped the unification of Europe be that much closer. It set the groundwork for one currency throughout Europe called the euro. In order to update the current treaties the Amsterdam Treaty was signed as a result of the Intergovernmental Conference. This treaty resulted in a plan to listen to the citizens, get closer to a more secure Europe, to make Europe more ocal throughout the world, and to make the European Union more efficient.
As of January of 1997 there were 15 countries belonging to the regional and economic European Union. The countries currently involved are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. In the future the European Union hopes to grow and add more countries to this list. The banking system that the European Union uses is a Central Banking System. With the evolvement of the Euro the economics of Europe will be easier to maintain.
As of January 1, 1999 the national central banks and the European Central Bank were formed to help institute the monetary policy using the euro. The macroeconomics theory accompanied with the use of economic analysis can illustrate the ideas behind the EMS. The members of the EU have put a strong emphasis into the monetary and macroeconomic policies. In order to reduce inflation the tried to have more stable competitive conditions within in the EMS which resulted in strict exchange rates (Levich & Sommariva 5). The European Union has a long way to go before it achieves 100% success.
It is updated basically on a year-to-year basis. In order to continue to improve the Union they have established an Agenda 2000. This agenda presents the major problems that they will encounter as the year 2000 is approached. First, they want to strengthen and reform the Community policies to deal with a growing European Union. Second, they need to look at the other countries that have applied to be a part of the Union. Last, a budget needs to be established that includes all of their future plans. There are many advantages to having a united Europe to the people of Europe. One benefit is trade.
There is now a free movement of goods, services, people and, money within the countries belonging to the European Union. Having a united Europe, which will result in the euro, will benefit information technology, administrative changes, and the information and training of employees. The benefits of the EU on citizens, businesses, and tourists will be determined by how much attention is paid by each particular country to maintaining and promoting good relations with one another. (Sumner & Zis 249) American businesses are affect by the united Europe. For example, in 1980-85 there was an unpredicted increase in the alue of the dollar.
As a result of the dollar appreciation many American industrial firms that competed in the international market were more profitable than in the past. The European Union also affects the business in the United States because the cash forward market liquidity tends to dry up in the middle of the afternoon because that is when the European currency traders are going home for the day (Levich &Sommariva 95). Investors in the ECU are growing on a daily basis. Investors tend look at the Union as a risk-returning investment according to dollar assets and the foreign alternatives that are available.