Euro Is The Most Visible Symbol Of European Integration (Speech Presentation Sample)

SLIDE 1- This theme has captivated my interest and I find it to be extremely important because joining the euro by Romania would be a major step for this country’s future as a state and a member of the European Union.
Euro is the most visible symbol of European Integration: it is used daily by more than 300 million people, making it the world’s second most used currency. Today euro is the official currency for 19 out of 27 European union member states. A single currency like Europe has many benefits. The main benefit is related to increased trade, making it easier, safer, and less expensive for businesses to buy and sell within the euro area and trade with the rest of the world. It also improves economic stability and growth.
Slide 2- The first chapter focuses on Euro as a single currency: main steps, challenges, and benefits. The second chapter is about the analysis of the Maastricht criteria and Romania’s performance meeting nominal and real convergence criteria. The last chapter concentrates on the Official strategy and timetable for joining the Eurozone, and the impact of the covid-19 pandemic.
Slide 3- Everything began in 1957 when The treaty of Rome was signed. The treaty set the objective to create a common currency and increase economic prosperity. It is not until the Werner report in 1970 that the European community considers a monetary union. In 1989, The Delors report proposes a three-stage plan for creating the Economic monetary union and a single currency. On 1 Feb 1992, The Maastricht treaty is signed. This treaty transforms The European community into a full economic and monetary union. In 1995 the name euro is decided during the European summit in Madrid. The symbol comes from the Greek letter epsilon and the 2 parallel lines refer to the stability of the euro. In 1999 the third and f al stage of the EC and monetary union begins. 11 member states ( such as Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and Sand pain) are included in EMU and adopted the d euro as their currency. Jan first, 2002 was the date of the successful introduction of the euro as a physical currency. Euro banknotes and coins were put into circulation in the euro area countries.
Slide 4- The Maastricht Treaty is a robust agreement. It is the birth certificate of the European Union. The Treaty established the European Union, paved the way for the single currency: the euro, and created European citizenship, having a deep impact on the development of European integration.
Slide 5- Convergence criteria (or "Maastricht criteria") are criteria, based on economic indicators, that European Union member states must fulfill to enter the eurozone and that they must continue to respect once entered. 1. Price stability: the inflation rate of a given Member state must not exceed by more than 1.5 points the three best performing Member states in terms of price stability
2. Public finance: a. The annual government deficit must not exceed 3% of GDP. Government debt must not exceed 60% of GDP- gross domestic product
3. Exchange-rate stability -The country has to participate in the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II) for at least two years without devaluing its currency. (Process to reduce exchange rate variability and achieve stability before member countries moved to a single currency).
4. Long-term interest rates: they must not be more than 2% higher than those of the three best performing Member states in terms of price stability.
Slide 6- Out of the four Maastricht convergence criteria, Romania fulfills only one: the public dept was 49.3 at the end of 2021, under 60 as the convergence criteria lists. Inflation grew due to the increase that the Statistical Institute estimated for electricity (+6.3% versus the previous month) and natural gas (+1.44%). Inflation shows a rather generalized price increase. Food items advanced by 0.8% in December versus the previous month, non-food by 0.7%, and services by 0.4%. We only know about the government’s intention to cut VAT for electricity from 19% to 5% starting in April. Covid 19 crisis led Romania to an increase in public debt.
The interest rates are so low largely because the economy is so weak. Interest rates are likely to stay low for years as the economy fights its way back from the coronavirus pandemic.
Slide 7- The term "real convergence" refers to the convergence of living standards or real GDP per capita towards the euro area level. Romania is the EU Country with the most significant divergence between regions in development with high Poor infrastructure The European Commission has identified a lack of infrastructure as a fundamental impediment to economic growth.
Slide 8- The Romanian economy is expected to develop at a rate of 4.9 percent on average annually between 2022 and 2024. The construction sector will be the most dynamic on the supply side, with an average annual growth in gross value added of 8.9% expected. An average yearly increase of 4.5 percent is predicted in the tertiary sector, focusing on developing new services (IT, business services, etc.). The average annual growth rate in the industrial sector is anticipated to be 4.7 percent.
Growth of the real GDP means growth in the size of the workforce and growth in productivity. The growth of nominal GDP is caused by the increases in prices.
The official strategy for adopting the euro in 2018, stated that 2025 was supposed to be the year for joining the euro. But, unexpected events took place such as the war from Ukraine against the Russian attack and the recovery from the pandemic, so a reevaluation will have to be made, and also a new strategy will have to be made.
Slide 9- The National Plan for euro adoption was carried out in 2018 under the coordination of that time’s Prime Minister. Goals- increasing tax revenues, increasing fiscal space, sustainably consolidating public finan