Overview
- ECB executive Piero Cipollone outlined a timeline that foresees Parliament receiving a progress report on October 24, followed by six weeks for amendments and five months of debate, with a potential position by May 2026.
- Euro-area finance ministers agreed in September on customer holding limits and a roadmap that gives governments a role in issuance decisions.
- The ECB’s preparation phase runs through October 2025, when the central bank will decide whether to move into the next development stage.
- Officials frame the digital euro as a way to reduce reliance on private payment networks and to offer a public alternative to dollar-backed stablecoins.
- Banks, lawmakers and some users continue to press for stronger privacy protections and clarity on implementation and financial-stability safeguards.