Governance and stakeholder engagement
We are designing a digital euro together with euro area central banks and in collaboration with numerous stakeholders. These include European citizens, merchants, businesses, banks and other payment service providers, technical service providers, public authorities at EU and national level, and central banks from around the world.
We publish details of our interaction with stakeholders along with project documentation from current and previous phases. This reflects our commitment to be transparent and accountable in our processes and decisions.
Project governance
The body steering the digital euro project is the Eurosystem’s Digital Euro High-Level Task Force, which reports to the ECB’s Governing Council. It is made up of members from national central banks of the Eurosystem.
Digital euro governance and stakeholder management Members of the Digital Euro High-Level Task ForceEU institutions and policymakers
At the ECB, we engage extensively with other European Union (EU) institutions and policymakers on a digital euro.
The EU co-legislators, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, are discussing the adoption of the Single Currency Package.
They are currently engaged in trilogue negotiations, together with the European Commission, to find an agreement on the final legislation.
European Commission
In July 2023 the European Commission put forward two proposals to ensure that individuals and businesses can continue to access and pay with euro banknotes and coins across the euro area and to set out a framework for a possible new digital form of the euro that the European Central Bank could choose to issue in the future, as a complement to cash.
Single Currency PackageCouncil of the European Union
The Council of the European Union adopted its position on the draft legislation on 19 December 2025.
Read the Council of the EU's positionEuropean Parliament
The European Parliament adopted its position on the Single Currency Package on 9 July 2026.
Read the European Parliament's positionHow does the Eurosystem support this process?
The Eurosystem provides technical input to support the discussions between the co-legislators on the legislative framework.
We regularly discuss the progress made on a possible digital euro with the finance ministers of euro area countries and with Members of the European Parliament in the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs.
We also cooperate closely with the European Commission to review, at the technical level, a broad range of policy-related, legal and technical questions on the possible introduction of a digital euro.
In addition, we engage with other EU bodies and institutions, such as the European Data Protection Authorities and the European Economic and Social Committee.
The Eurosystem will take a decision on whether to issue a digital euro after the adoption of the legislative framework for the digital euro. The Eurosystem will ensure that the final design of the digital euro is in line with the digital euro Regulation as adopted.
The ongoing dialogue with EU institutions helps strengthen the project, making it more robust, secure and aligned with people’s needs.
Market stakeholders
By drawing on the existing skills and knowledge of market experts and insights from consumers, we aim to design the best possible digital euro, ensuring it reflects the needs and preferences of people across Europe.
We regularly engage with market stakeholders through the Euro Retail Payments Board (ERPB), a high-level strategic body tasked with fostering the integration, innovation and competitiveness of euro retail payments in the EU. The ERPB serves as a forum for dialogue with the market on a digital euro, representing industry and stakeholder associations – including the banking sector, non-bank financial institutions, consumer organisations, merchants, corporates and small and medium-sized enterprises.
The ECB informs and consults the ERPB about progress made on its digital euro work in regular meetings, technical sessions and written procedures. Dedicated ERPB technical sessions on a digital euro are the main forum for engagement with ERPB member associations.
Moreover, we work closely with the Rulebook Development Group to gather market input and industry perspectives on preparing a digital euro scheme rulebook.
In addition, we interact with other central banks and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) on central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), both through one-on-one interactions and within international fora such as the G7 and G20.
In all these interactions, we invite feedback on the technical aspects of a digital euro and collaborate with market participants to gain valuable insights and experience that will inform the design of a digital euro.
While the ECB collaborates extensively with various market stakeholders, the Governing Council of the ECB is ultimately responsible for decisions related to the digital euro. These decisions are made independently of any political and private actors, guided by the project’s development and the legislative process.
General public
We actively engage with a diverse range of potential digital euro users.
General public
We actively engage with a diverse range of potential digital euro users. Through surveys, interviews and focus groups, we gather insights and perspectives directly from people across Europe to understand their needs and preferences.
Find out more about how we are involving the public in the development of the digital euroEuropean civil society organisations
We also exchange ideas with representatives from European civil society organisations and academic institutions via civil society seminars.
See all the recordings and presentations from the civil society seminarsA truly European initiative
We’re fully committed to continuing our engagement with all stakeholders involved in this journey. We cooperate with EU legislators, market participants and civil society organisations, among others, to ensure that no one is left behind.
Groups previously involved in the project
The Digital Euro Market Advisory Group advised the Eurosystem on the design and potential roll-out of a digital euro during the investigation phase. The group’s members were market practitioners, acting in a personal capacity, who have direct, active experience in the retail payments space.
Throughout the investigation phase, we published several progress reports to update the public on the project status. We also published material that had been presented and shared feedback that had been received from market stakeholders. Explore all published documents from the investigation phase.