Economists urge EU Parliament not to dilute digital euro plan, warning that weakening the project could leave the eurozone dependent on U.S. payment providers such as Visa and Mastercard. A letter signed by 60 economists, backed by Dutch think‑tank Sustainable Finance Lab and Triodos Bank, was sent to EU lawmakers ahead of a meeting of the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee. The signatories argue that without a robust, sovereign digital euro, Europe risks losing control over its currency and becoming more vulnerable to foreign influence. They call for the digital euro to be fully functional both online and offline, protect privacy, and be available to all residents, including those without commercial bank accounts. The letter stresses that a strong digital euro is essential for monetary sovereignty, stability and resilience, and that any compromise could render the currency symbolic rather than practical.

Original article can be found here.