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The goal of this thesis is to evaluate the readiness of the member states of NAFTA to adopt a common currency or some other narrower monetary arrangement. This readiness is evaluated by the lens of Optimum currency areas theory (OCA). This thesis provides an overview of the basic OCA criteria, estimates the Optimum Currency Areas Index as a tool to assessing the fulfillment of OCA criteria and readiness of the countries of NAFTA to adopt a common currency or some other narrower monetary arrangement along the lines of the European monetary union. The results of this research indicates that Canada vis a vis USA is in state of advanced convergence and Mexico converges towards the USA economy. We can say that on the basis of OCA criteria the common currency arrangement is likely to be possible in the near future.

This survey measures the price elasticity of demand for fuel. Using unique data set from a petrol station in north Bohemia, short-run demand was estimated as price inelastic, the long-run demand was estimated as price elastic. Fuel prices, population in the Free State of Saxony and excise tax in the Czech Republic are main determinants of the demand for fuel. The impact of new vehicles in Ústí nad Labem Region was not proved. A potential effect of tank tourism was estimated using a variable for the difference between fuel prices in observed petrol station and in Germany. Rise in the price difference by one euro cent leads to increase in gasoline demanded in the observed petrol station on average by 1,5 %, and by 2 % in diesel demanded.

The thesis searches for determinants of excise duty collection in the Czech Republic and quantifies them using ordinary least squares on data from years 2008-2012. The most important determinants are: Czech excise duty, the effect of winter and toll rate in Czech Republic, all of which have a negative influence on the Czech excise duty collection; excise duty in Germany and Poland and traffic density, all of which have a positive influence on the Czech excise duty collection.