The Euro versus the U.S. dollar: an overview

The creation of the euro will prove to be a remarkable development in international relations and carries far-reaching implications for the international monetary system. The objectives of this paper are four-fold. The first objective is to provide a brief overview of previous monetary unions in Europe. It covers three surviving monetary unions and two that failed. The second objective is to provide a review of major developments leading to the creation of the euro. The third objective is to analyze the opportunities and threats associated with the euro. The fourth objective is to provide an overview of the on-going debate as to whether the euro will be a serious challenger to the U.S. dollar.