Trade effects of monetary agreements:: Evidence for OECD countries

This paper analyses the effects of monetary agreements on trade flows using a sample of 25 OECD countries over the period 1950-2004. We find that these agreements have boosted intra-bloc trade. This result especially applies to the case of the euro. More importantly, in contrast to regional trade agreements, all monetary agreements analysed show evidence of trade-creating effects with third countries. Finally, only the euro shows a symmetric impact for the trade-creating effect with nonmembers, that is, using the euro promotes both the Eurozone's exports and its imports to non-Eurozone markets to a similar extent. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.