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The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research Volume 2

Article 14

Regional Economic Integration Kati Cole St. John Fisher College

Russell Lyons St. John Fisher College

Deborah Cary St. John Fisher College

Follow this and additional works at: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur Part of the International Business Commons

How has open access to Fisher Digital Publications benefited you? Recommended Citation Cole, Kati; Lyons, Russell; and Cary, Deborah. "Regional Economic Integration." The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research 2 (1999): 70-76. Web. [date of access]. .

This document is posted at http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol2/iss1/14 and is brought to you for free and open access by Fisher Digital Publications at St. John Fisher College. For more information, please contact [email protected].

Regional Economic Integration Abstract

"In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. Regional Economic Integration can best be defined as an agreement between groups of countries in a geographic region, to reduce and ultimately remove tariff and non-tariff barriers to the free flow of goods, services, and factors of production between each other.

This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol2/iss1/14

Cole et al.: Regional Economic Integration

Regional Economic Integration By: Kati Cole, Russell Lyons, & Deborah Cary Regional Economic Integration can best be defined as an agreement between groups of countries in a geographic region, to reduce and ultimately remove tariff and non-tariff barriers to the free flow of goods, services, and factors of production between each other. The following are examples of Regional Economic Integration: • NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)-An agreement among the U.S.A., Canada, and Mexico. • EU (European Union)-A trade agreement with 15 European countries. • APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum) - This includes NAFTA members, Japan, and China. We are going to focus our discussion of regional economic integration on the European Union. The European Community was formed in 1952; it has now become the framework for the present European Union. The European Union is a trade agreement between 15 European countries. The Maastricht Treaty was signed in 1992. From this treaty, a single market was formed on January 151, 1993. As the EU moves toward a closer economic union and a further enlargement, they plan on instituting a single currency called the Euro. With the promise of ultimately removing barriers and creating a free flow of goods between the European countries, the integration will create new opportunities and should show a substantial net gain from regional free trade agreements.

LEVELS OF ECONOMIC INTEGRATION The following are the levels of integration from least to most integrated: Free Trade, Customs Union, Common Market, Economic Union, and Political Union. With free trade, all the barriers to the trade of goods and services among member countries are removed. However, each country can determine its own trade policies with regard to nonmembers. Members are free to determine the level of protection applied to goods coming from the outside. Customs Union is one step closer to political and economic integration. This union also eliminates trade barriers between member countries and adopts a common ..

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external trade policy. In a Common Market, labor and capital are free to move and there are no restrictions on emigration, i~igration and cross-border flows of capital between

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The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research, Vol. 2 [1999], Art. 14

member-countries. With the Economic Union, common currency, common tax rate, fiscal, and monetary policy are all required. The European Union is currently working toward an Economic Integration with the implementation of the Euro. The Political Union coordinates the bureaucracy accountability to the member nations. As the diagram displays, the EU lies on the fourth ring of the line of level of economic integration, as they are moving toward a common currency.

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The European Union is an institutional framework for the construction of a united Europe. It was created after WW II to unite the countries of Europe economically. A population of 370 million people represents the 15 member countries that share common policies that have brought an era of peace and prosperity to Western Europe. These members pooled the coal and steel industries to begin the integration process. In January of 1993, a single market where goods, services, people and capital could move freely was created with the establishment of the Economic Monetary Union (EMU). The EMU is based on two concepts: the coordination of economic policies and the European System of Central Banks (ESCB). Currently, the European Union is moving towards Economic Integration with the creation of the Economic Monetary Union and the introduction of a single currency, the Euro. This will create a single market and remove transaction costs brought about by currency conversions and the uncertainties of exchange rate stability. This creation of a single market and the system of central banks will reinforce international stability.

The Single European Currency - the EURO The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) will take effect in January 1, 1999, and the Euro currency will be introduced in the following participating countries: Austria, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, and the Netherlands. The Economic Monetary Union was created with the signing of the 71 http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol2/iss1/14

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Cole et al.: Regional Economic Integration

Maastricht Treaty on February 7, 1992. This treaty defined the convergence criteria that the countries would have to meet in order to become part of the Economic Monetary Union. It was necessary for the countries to meet certain criteria in order to insure economic stability in the union. The convergence criteria were as follows : • Stable inflation rates: Over the period of one year the country's inflation rate must not be more than 1.5% of the three best performing countries (approximately two-three percent). • Long-term Interest Rates: Over a period of one year the country's rates may not be above 2% of the three best performing countries. • Budget Deficits: The government-borrowing deficit (including central, regional, and local) should not exceed 3% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). • Public Debt: The country's public debt should not exceed more than 60% of the country's GDP (or should be approaching this at a satisfactory rate). • Currency Fluctuations: The country's currency should not exceed the normal fluctuation margins, as set by the Exchange Rate Mechanism of the Economic Monetary System for the period of two years. The deadline for meeting the convergence criteria was December 31, 1997. The countries that met the convergence criteria were announced on May 2, 1998. Even if a country did not meet the convergence criteria by May 2, 1998, it does not prohibit them from ever joining the Economic Monetary Union. The Maastricht Treaty allowed for a certain degree of flexibility in the interpretation of the convergence criteria. The ability of a particular country to share a common currency is considered to be much more important than its ability to meet certain criterion. For example, Belgiwn and Italy were given a certain amount of flexibility in their ability to meet the public debt requirement. The European Central Bank was also established with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. The bank will be located in Frankfurt, Germany because the European Monetary Institute is already located there. The bank will be responsible for controlling and fixing interest rates. All the participating countries will have to meet the interest rate targets set by the bank. The Introduction of the Euro will follow the following calendar phases: Phase A (May 2, 1998 - December 31, 1998) • Countries participating in the EMU will be announced • Creation of the European Central Bank • Financial and banking sectors finalize change-over procedures Phase B (January 1, 1999- December 31, 2001) • Conversion rates of the member countries will be permanently fixed on January 1, 1999 • Euro is established as the official currency on January 1, 1999 • National currencies continue to exist • Monetary, capital, foreign exchange, and interbank markets converted to Euros Phase C (January 1, 2002 - July 1, 2002) • Introduction of Euro notes and coins into the market on January 1, 2002 • National currencies must cease to exist in the market by July 1, 2002 • Change-over is complete

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The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research, Vol. 2 [1999], Art. 14

Benefits ofthe Economic and Monetary Union for Businesses With the introduction of the Euro on January 1, 1999, businesses need to address the Economic Monetary Union's implications on business transactions, both the costs and the benefits. President Clinton has said, "A strong and stable Europe, with open markets and healthy growth, is good for America and for the world. A successful EMU that contributes to a dynamic Europe is clearly in our best interest." ... The EU is by far our largest commercial partner... a revitalized European market presents enormous opportunities for American firms (Business Americ~ July 1998). The EMU will create a strong single market with the integration of member countries economies and the reduction of transaction costs. Businesses that work with the European Union will no longer have to worry about exchanging currency with cross-border trading. Prior to the Euro, companies had to consider currency risk when exporting products to members of the European Union, as each had their own national currency. With the introduction of the Euro, currency risk will be eliminated from this market. Goods and services, which may have previously been unfeasible to export to some countries, may now be exported to new markets. The exchange rate fluctuations will no longer have an implication on profit margins. The Economic Monetary Union has also brought about the European System of Central Banks, which will possibly bring about the prospect of lower interest rates for business financing. Thus, business can now reach new and wider markets and are no longer subject to currency fluctuations. The large multinational firms have already launched their preparations for the coming of the Euro. Beginning January 1, 1999, these firms would prefer to handle their finances, accounts, corporate and tax declarations, and customer transactions in Euros. Large companies operating in Europe will benefit with a reduction in the costs of foreign currency management and exchange. It will also enable these businesses to make long term strategic and financial planning without the uncertainty of currency risk. The elimination of currency risk will reduce the costs of exporting goods. The greatest benefit, however, will come from the growth of the markets. Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SME's) may be forced to follow in the footsteps of the large enterprises, if they aren't already. Many small firms interact in their everyday business with large firms; if the large firms are changing over to the Euro, the small companies will have to change over also. The coming of the Euro will also open up many opportunities for small firms with "cost transparency," which creates one domestic market, elimination of exchange rate risk, and lower interest rates with increased banking competition. In spite of the many opportunities that are becoming available for many businesses, only 5% of small and medium enterprises are preparing for the Euro, reports a poll taken by the European Preparation Unit (The Guardian, July 27, 1998). Those that are preparing are only preparing on the technical level and are not taking a strategic approach. To take advantage of the new opportunities that will be created with the introduction of the Euro, companies need to seek out information regarding the changeover processes and develop a long-term vision of how their company will be affected by the Euro.

Challenges One of the largest challenges that businesses will face is confronting the Euro in phases and not all at once. It will be a transition period spanning three and a half years. For a period oftime, companies will have to maintain records in more than one currency. On top of this complication is the fact that the Maastricht Treaty requires currency 73 http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol2/iss1/14

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Cole et al.: Regional Economic Integration

conversions to be recorded to six significant digits whereas the current business practice is only to five significant digits. Complicating the transition even more is the fact that the public and private sectors will move according to their own timetables. Companies will have to adapt their business procedures for changes in contracts, administration, processing, logistics, sales, financial controlling, accounting, and treasury and finance. This adoption process will be different for each business because of the three and a halfyear transition period. There are no standards as of yet to accomplish this changeover. This is why many businesses are hesitating on making the changeover of their businesses to accommodate the Euro. In addition to the uncertainty, the cost of changing over the Euro could very well rival that of the Year 2000 project for some companies (Info World, June 15, 1998). Companies that make their conversions early and are very flexible will have a competitive edge against those companies that decide to wait, so companies need to move now to combat the many challenges they are facing. Companies that move early are more likely to have their benefits outweigh the costs of changing over to the Euro and they will be the strong competitors for the future.

IBM Europe Businesses looking for help on how to prepare for the Euro can look to IBM Europe. There is a great deal that companies need to address when converting their businesses over to be compatible with the Euro, such as: • The way that they pay suppliers and accept payments from customers • Customer Information (Price Lists) • Pricing Strategies • Human Resource Factors • Short and Long term financing • Accounting ledgers, shares, corporate taxes IBM has constructed sector (consultants) teams to help organizations make the transition to the Euro. They would work with the company using an end-to-end (start to finish) structure, including such solutions as: • Industry-specific solutions • Project Management • Human Resources • Business and Information Technology consulting • Software tools for impact analysis • Solutions for staff training and customer education • Call centers We contacted IBM Europe by email. Their response to us indicated that they have over 42,000 people working with customers across all industry sectors. They are helping companies prepare for how all the different aspects of their businesses will be affected. For example, in regards to information technology, IBM is helping companies develop business impact assessments and develop the technology to handle the currency conversions. Accounting procedures will have to be modified because of the transition period. It will depend on when each member country decides to accept Euro accounts. Accounting procedures will also need to reflect the legal framework as it develops. There is hardly any part of a business that will remain untouched by the effects of the Euro. IBM is prepared to help countries prepare for all of these factors.

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Conclusion With the introduction of the Euro having occurred on January 1, 1999, there is a great deal that needs to be accomplished by businesses. The entire way that they conduct business will change. IBM Europe is prepared to offer their services to help businesses prepare for the coming of the Euro. Companies need to prepare soon; those that do will have a competitive edge on the developing markets. The Euro will be completely integrated into the market by the year 2002. Will business be prepared for its impact? We will have to watch and see how businesses react to the Euro from January 1999 to July 2002.

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Bibliography

Allbritton, Chris. "Year 2000 Isn' t the Only Bug Lurking Out There Programmers Must Deal With Euro First; Later, The Phone Number Crisis." St. Louis Post 11 October 1998: El. Atkinson, Mark. "Firms Ill-prepared For Euro Small businesses Could Lose Profits." The Guardian 27 July 1998: 16. Brietfelder, Matthew. "The Euro Currency Age: Challenges and Opportunities for U.S. Businesses." Business America July 1998:33-35. EU Business: http://www.eubusiness.com Europa, European Union Server: http://www.europa.eu.int Ferranti, Marc and Radosevich, Lynda. "Euro Conversion Will Challenge Company Finance, Affect Pricing." Info World 15 June 1998: 97-98. IBM Europe: http://www.europe.ibm.com Kashmeri, Sarwar A. "Helping Businesses Prepare For the Euro." New York Times 18, October 1998: A3. O'Boyle, Paddy. "Has Your Business Got Pricing Policies For the Euro?" Accountancy Ireland April 1998: 18-19. Rose, Matthew. "IBM Europe Places Its Bet On the Intemet---Computer Giant Also Sees Business Opportunities In Adoption of Euro." Wall Street Journal 20 March 1998: B7B. "Urgent Need For Single Market Action." Harvard Business Review September/October 1998: 45.

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