ECB officials move to 'preparation phase' for digital euro
The governing council of the European Central Bank (ECB) has announced it will begin the ”preparation phase” for the digital euro project following a two-year investigation.
In an Oct. 18 notice, the ECB said it plans to “start laying the foundation for the possible issuance of a digital euro” beginning on Nov. 1, adding the issuance of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) was not a foregone conclusion. The announcement followed the release of a 44-page report on a potential digital euro’s design and distribution.
The preparation phase, as the ECB refers to it, will last two years and focus on finalizing rules for the digital currency as well as selecting possible issuers. Officials said the next phase will include “testing and experimentation” in accordance with user feedback as well as requirements under the central bank.
“After two years, the Governing Council will decide whether to move to the next stage of preparations, to pave the way for the possible future issuance and roll-out of a digital euro,” said the ECB. “The launch of the preparation phase is not a decision on whether to issue a digital euro. That decision will only be considered by the Governing Council once the European Union’s legislative process has been completed.”
Our Governing Council has decided to move to the next phase of the digital euro project.
In November 2023 we will start laying the foundation for the possible issuance of a digital euro. A decision on issuing a digital euro will come at a later stage.https://t.co/xuKklame0U pic.twitter.com/Nn0Z8RggVn
Related: EU finance chief: Don’t rush digital euro before new Commission in June 2024
In June, the European Commission proposed a legislative plan for a digital euro, aiming to have users
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