European Commission, ECB Confirm Bulgaria's Eurozone Entry 2026

Bulgaria is set to adopt the euro on January 1, 2026, after the European Commission and European Central Bank confirmed it has met all necessary convergence criteria, including inflation and fiscal requirements. The country's inflation rate stood at 2.7%, just below the reference value of 2.8%, allowing it to fulfill the price stability criterion that had previously delayed euro adoption. Bulgaria, an EU member since 2007, will become the 21st country to join the eurozone, which is expected to strengthen its economy through increased trade, investment, and financial access. Despite some domestic protests and Bulgaria's relatively low GDP per capita within the EU, officials view euro adoption as a significant step towards deeper European integration. The final approval rests with the Eurogroup finance ministers, with Bulgaria's central bank officials set to join ECB groups as observers ahead of formal accession. This milestone follows years of efforts and structural reforms aimed at meeting the eurozone's economic standards.