70 Economists Publish Joint Open Letter: Call for Digital Euro Project to Prioritize Public Interest

Odaily Planet Daily reports that 70 economists and policy experts have issued an open letter calling on European Parliament members to support a clear digital euro that serves the public interest. The letter argues that this is crucial for Europe’s monetary sovereignty and for ensuring central bank funding in economies where cash usage is increasingly declining. It also warns that without strong public options, private stablecoins and foreign payment giants could have a greater impact on Europe’s digital payments. Signatories include José Leandro, former Executive Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and French economist Thomas Piketty. They describe the proposed central bank digital currency (CBDC) as a public good and advocate for establishing a public digital payment system issued by the euro system, with free basic services covering the entire Eurozone, to complement rather than replace cash.