The Digital Euro Package: from Legal Tender to Payment Services Providers

This paper is destined to be published in C. Pastor Sempere (ed.), Governance and Control of Data and Digital Economy in the European Single MarketSpringer, forthcoming

35 Pages Posted: 11 Jul 2024

See all articles by Filippo Zatti

Filippo Zatti

University of Florence - Department of Economics and Management; European Banking Institute; European Law Institute

Rosa Giovanna Barresi

University of Florence; European Law Institute

Date Written: July 04, 2024

Abstract

This paper examines the proposals for regulating the digital euro, establishing a connection between its legal standing and physical euro cash, and requiring payment services providers to offer digital euro services regardless of their location. It raises questions about the fundamental implications of treating the digital euro as legal tender. However, labelling the digital euro as a legal tender raises uncertainties about its core nature and purpose. The analysis challenges the notion that the digital euro is merely a digital version of physical cash, emphasising the evolving roles of central bank digital currencies and their legal and policy ramifications. With the digitalisation of the economy in mind, it examines how the involvement of payment services providers in distributing the digital euro could impact individual and economic rights. It underscores the importance of a balanced approach in regulating the digital euro, which should consider security measures, privacy, and data protection while fostering competition. The paper aims to provide policymakers with insights into the design and regulation of the digital euro, underlining the necessity of clarifying its legal standing and reconsidering its classification as legal tender. It stresses the importance of thoroughly examining the conceptual foundations of the digital euro to ensure its successful implementation and regulation.

Keywords: Digital euro, Legal tender, Fraud detection, Interoperability, PSP

JEL Classification: K20, K23

Suggested Citation

Zatti, Filippo and Barresi, Rosa Giovanna, The Digital Euro Package: from Legal Tender to Payment Services Providers (July 04, 2024).

This paper is destined to be published in C. Pastor Sempere (ed.), Governance and Control of Data and Digital Economy in the European Single MarketSpringer, forthcoming

, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4885757 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4885757

Filippo Zatti (Contact Author)

University of Florence - Department of Economics and Management ( email )

Via delle Pandette, 9
Florence, FI 50127
Italy
+390552759648 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://bit.ly/fzprofile

European Banking Institute ( email )

Frankfurt
Germany

European Law Institute ( email )

Schottenring 16, Top 175
Vienna, 1010
Austria

Rosa Giovanna Barresi

University of Florence ( email )

Piazza di San Marco, 4
Florence, 50121
Italy

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.unifi.it/p-doc2-0-0-A-3f2c372c33292a.html

European Law Institute ( email )

Schottenring 16, Top 175
Vienna, 1010
Austria

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