The EU gave the green light on Wednesday for Bulgaria to adopt the euro from 1 January 2026, meaning it will become the 21st member of the single currency area.
The European Commission said that Bulgaria had fulfilled the strict criteria “intended to ensure that a country is ready to adopt the euro and that its economy is sufficiently prepared to do so”.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen posted about it on her social media , saying:
Today, Bulgaria is one step closer to adopting the euro.
This will mean more investment and trade with euro area partners, and more stability and prosperity for the Bulgarian people.
Bulgaria will also take its rightful place in shaping euro area decisions. Congratulations!
As a result of this assessment, the Commission has also adopted proposals for a Council Decision and a Council Regulation on euro introduction in Bulgaria on 1 January 2026. The Council of the EU will take the final decisions on Bulgaria’s euro adoption, following discussions in the Eurogroup and the European Council, and after the European Parliament and the ECB have delivered their opinions.
Read full Convergence Report 2025 on Bulgaria HERE
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