Decision time for European Monetary Union
分析了决定欧洲货币联盟能否如期推进以及哪些国家能首批加入的经济与政治因素，重点讨论了财政赤字标准这一最大障碍。
This article examines the economic and political factors that will determine whether monetary union proceeds on schedule and, if so, which countries will be initial members. The first section provides background and lays out the current official timetable for monetary union. The second section reviews the convergence criteria to be used in determining which countries are ready to join, with special emphasis on the fiscal or budget deficit criterion that is proving to be the biggest problem