Used by over 340 million people daily, the euro is the second–most-used currency worldwide. But the official adoption of this currency by 20 of the 27 European Union countries had a storied start as a currency without a state. Christopher Brooks, a professor of history at East Stroudsburg University, offers a deep dive into the euro’s origins, tracing its evolution from the formation of the European Economic Community in 1957 to the creation of the eurozone in 1999. Drawing on his experiences while working in Germany during the currency transition, Brooks discusses the implementation of the euro, the advantages it brings to member states, its role in global finance, and its competition with the U.S. dollar, as well as ongoing challenges faced by the eurozone and the prospects for further economic integration in Europe.
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