KONWERGENCJA GOSPODAREK KRAJÓW UNII EUROPEJSKIEJ O WALUTACH NARODOWYCH WZGLĘDEM STREFY EURO W OKRESIE POSTKRYZYSOWYM
THE CONVERGENCE OF ECONOMIES OF EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER STATES USING NATIONAL CURRENCIES IN RELATION TO THE EURO ZONE DURING THE POST-CRISIS PERIOD

Summary/Abstract: The article aims to present the results of assessing the degree of convergence of the economies of the European Union, which use national currencies, in relation to the euro area. Particular emphasis is placed on Poland, due to the desire to enrich the basis for discussion on the choice of the most appropriate moment of replacing the zloty with the single European currency. Design, methodology, approach – as the research method, a comparative analysis of statistical data was used, supplemented to a small extent by an analysis of literature. The focus was made on the most fundamental indicators that characterise the level of convergence of economies. The main research period, for short-term data, were the years of 2013–2014, and for quarterly and annual data, longer intervals were taken. As indicated by the conducted analysis of indicators determining the nominal and real convergence of the European Union member states using national currencies, one can have justified concerns whether they would be all ready for the euro in this respect. These concerns are particularly reasonable in the context of the crisis experience of countries using common European currency, that had been incorporated earlier to the euro zone despite a low degree of convergence. Originality, value – the paper presents an analysis of the latest available statistical data and, on this basis, the conclusions on the degree of convergence among the euro area and the European Union member states which do not participate in it yet.

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