ECOFIN unanimously supported Bulgaria’s accession to the Eurozone from January 1, 2026

BRUSSELS/LUXEMBOURG – The EU Council on Economic and Financial Affairs (ECOFIN) supported Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone from the beginning of next year, announced the European Commissioner for Economy Valdis Dombrovskis after the meeting of European ministers in Luxembourg.

I welcome today’s ECOFIN decision in support of Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone from January 1 next year, Dombrovskis said. 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, he added.

The Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domański, chairing the meeting on behalf of the Polish Presidency of the EU Council, clarified that the decision of the finance ministers was adopted unanimously.

The Minister of Finance Temenuzhka Petkova thanked for the objective assessment, as well as for the constant support and constructive cooperation throughout the preparation process for joining the eurozone, the Bulgarian Ministry of Finance reported.

The day before, the Eurogroup approved a recommendation to the EU Council for Bulgaria to become part of the eurozone from January 1 next year. The finance ministers from the eurozone agreed with the positive assessments provided by the European Commission and the European Central Bank regarding Bulgaria’s compliance with the requirements, the Eurogroup reported. This was the first step in a process where the EU Council will adopt the necessary legal decisions for Bulgaria to join the eurozone and start using the euro as its official currency from next year.

After the ministers welcomed the recommendation adopted by the Eurogroup for the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria from January 1, 2026, the chair of the ECOFIN Council sent a letter to the European Council regarding Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone. The European Council is expected to discuss the matter, and the process is set to conclude on July 8 with a vote on the European Parliament’s opinion and the adoption by the EU Council of the necessary final decisions. (June 20)