Stability of the euro area in the context of the impact of economic crisis

The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the stability of the euro area in the context of the impact of the economic crisis. The work is divided into three chapters. The theory of optimum currency area was identified as a fundamental theoretical basis for subsequent analysis, and then Ireland and Portugal were chosen as the two countries representing vulnerable economies, which have been subjected to more detailed examination and comparison. These two parts were for the coherence of the whole work set in the historical context of European monetary integration. The first part deals with a theory of optimal currency area. The first chapter is further analysis of potential benefits and costs of the monetary area. The second chapter focuses on the historical context of monetary integration in Europe and recent developments in euro area countries. The theme of the third chapter is to compare the impact of the crisis on the Irish and the Portuguese economy. This chapter focuses on the main causes of the crisis in Ireland and then in Portugal, the impact of the crisis on them and stability restoring program adopted in the context of drawing loans from the European Commission, ECB and IMF. In the last part of the third chapter the causes and effects of the crisis in Ireland and Portugal were mutually compared. The conclusion of this chapter is devoted to the prospects of these countries into the future.