A digital euro, he argues, is essential so that the EU does not fall “behind the curve” in global payments, private-label digital currencies and electronic versions of central bank money. Under the proposal, the European Central Bank would have control over who can use the digital euro, how it will be used internationally, and how much people can hold at one time. At the same time, the plan calls for a digital European currency to have an international role, part of efforts to shore up the euro as a global reserve currency. The EU plan calls for the digital euro to be accepted as legal tender almost everywhere, at no cost to ordinary consumers. If there is going to be a digital euro, Europe’s governments and institutions are clear that they, not the private sector, will be in charge.

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Persons: Valdis Dombrovskis, Rebecca Christie, Eli Lilly, Aston Martin, George Hay, Oliver Taslic Organizations: Reuters, European Central Bank, U.S . Federal Reserve, Bank of England, EU, ECB, Twitter, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS