Bulgaria meets the requirements for adopting the euro from 1/1/2026

The European Commission announced that Bulgaria meets the criteria for adopting the euro from January 1, 2026, making it the 21st member of the eurozone.

The Commission’s assessment is presented in the 2025 convergence report, which was prepared at the request of the Bulgarian authorities and marks a critical and historic step in Bulgaria’s path towards adopting the euro. The report finds that Bulgaria meets the four nominal convergence criteria, which aim to ensure that a country is ready to adopt the euro and that its economy is sufficiently prepared to do so. The legislation of the member state is also deemed compatible with the requirements of the Treaty and the statute of the European System of Central Banks and the European Central Bank (ECB). The Commission’s assessment also examines additional factors related to economic integration and convergence, including developments in the balance of payments and the integration of product, labor, and financial markets.

The President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, welcomed this development, emphasizing that “thanks to the euro, Bulgaria’s economy will become stronger, with more trade transactions with its eurozone partners, foreign direct investment, access to financing, quality jobs, and real incomes.” She added that “Bulgaria will take its rightful place in shaping decisions at the heart of the eurozone.”

The official decision is set to be made on July 8 by the EU finance ministers. (4/6/25)