
BRUSSELS/LUXEMBOURG – The EU Council on Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) has endorsed Bulgaria’s entry into the eurozone starting January 1 of next year, as announced by European Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis following a meeting of European ministers in Luxembourg.
Dombrovskis expressed his approval, stating, “This is a crucial stage in the process, and now discussions in the European Council are ahead, after which ECOFIN will make the final decisions in July.”
The Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domański, who chaired the meeting under the Polish Presidency of the EU Council, confirmed that the finance ministers reached a unanimous decision.
Bulgarian Finance Minister Temenuzhka Petkova expressed gratitude for the objective assessment and for the ongoing support and constructive cooperation during the preparation for eurozone membership, as reported by the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance.
The previous day, the Eurogroup had recommended to the EU Council that Bulgaria join the eurozone on January 1 next year. The finance ministers from the eurozone endorsed the positive evaluations provided by the European Commission and the European Central Bank concerning Bulgaria’s compliance with requirements, according to the Eurogroup. This marked the initial step in a process where the EU Council will make the necessary legal decisions for Bulgaria to adopt the euro as its official currency next year.
After the ministers welcomed the Eurogroup’s recommendation for Bulgaria to introduce the euro on January 1, 2026, the ECOFIN Council chair sent a letter to the European Council regarding Bulgaria’s eurozone membership. The European Council is anticipated to deliberate on this issue, with the process concluding on July 8 with a vote on the European Parliament’s opinion and the adoption of essential final decisions by the EU Council. (June 20)













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