Intensity of trade under monetary union – case study of the Eurozone

This paper is aimed at finding an empirical proof of the thesis of positive trade effects and endogeneity of accession criteria in the case of the European monetary union. We analyze how the European monetary union influences trade in goods of its Member States as well as – for comparison – of the New EU-Member States and the EFTA members. Additionally we analyze impast of the creation of the Eurozone on the economies of its Member States with the biggest economic problems especially since the last international crisis (2008) – the group PIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Spain). We analyze not only changes in the aggregated trade in goods but changes in intra-industry trade as well. Finally we divide intra-industry trade into horizontal and vertical streams and analyze their changes. Our analysis covers the period 1995–2013. We start with the short presentation of trade effects of a monetary integration and analysis of the methods of measurement of intra-industry trade.