Official decision by EU finance ministers: Bulgaria will adopt the euro from January 1 2026

The European Union’s finance ministers approved on July 8 the final steps that will see Bulgaria use the euro as its currency from January 1 2026.

This completes the process for Bulgaria to become the 21st member of the euro area, a statement by the Council of the EU said.

The EU finance ministers adopted the final three legal acts required for Bulgaria to introduce the euro as of the beginning of next year.

One of the three legal acts sets the conversion rate between the euro and the Bulgarian lev at 1.95583 lev per 1 euro. This corresponds to the current central rate of the lev in the exchange rate mechanism (ERM II).

(Photo: Sar Maroof/ Wikimedia Commons)