Our paper provides a theoretical analysis of the potential trade implications of a currency union focusing on the crucial role of economic dissimilarities among countries. Modeling the adoption of a common currency as the elimination of transaction costs on international trade, we show that a currency union enhances bilateral trade among members while it reduces bilateral trade between members ...

Globalization is accompanied by increasing current account imbalances. They can undermine the positive impacts of increasing international cooperation and trade on economic growth. By applying an economic growth model that requests for long-term compensation of short-term current account deficits, we derive patterns of international trade. Model output, however, is challenged by empirical data ...