He finds that the euro did stimulate trade early in its life but that the outsiders benefited almost as much as insiders: 7 per cent instead of 9 per cent.

They also discover a vein of copper which could be used to replenish the town's supply and stimulate trade.

Though the goal was rarely stated publicly, these economic agreements were about far more than stimulating trade by reducing tariff barriers.

But, moral or not, consumerism stimulated trade and employment.

The idea behind the euro was that it would increase living standards by stimulating trade, reducing transactions costs and allowing consumers to compare prices across borders.