Euro-area finance ministers meet in Brussels on 9 November with the digital euro and innovation in wholesale central bank payments on the agenda. A separate session in inclusive format is scheduled to address defence financing.
Two kinds of payments
The digital euro debate includes how people and businesses might pay with a digital form of central bank money. Wholesale payments concern a different part of the system: how financial institutions settle transactions. Both appear on the agenda, with different users and infrastructure.
The published programme sets out the subjects for discussion. The next development to watch is whether ministers give a direction on the design or the legislative process. Any eventual introduction still depends on the relevant decisions and preparations.
