Digital Euro - Italy seeks zero fees for payments under 10 euros
Italy has proposed exempting digital euro transactions under 10 euros from fees, in a measure aimed at favoring small businesses.
The proposal is part of the negotiations taking place in Brussels on how the new digital currency will operate and has been positively received by the European Central Bank.
The digital euro will be an electronic form of payment, to be used alongside physical cash. The European Central Bank aims to be ready for the first possible issuance in 2029, if the relevant rules are approved this year.
One of the key issues in the negotiations is the tariffs that traders will pay. According to ECB analysis, small businesses currently pay three to four times more tariffs than large companies, due to their lower bargaining power.
For this reason, Italy requires that low-value payments have minimal or zero costs. Another option discussed is to set a maximum fee of just 0.02 euros for transactions under 10 euros.
The digital euro is also seen as a step towards more European independence in the payments system, as the current market relies heavily on American networks, such as Visa and Mastercard.
Negotiators from member states, the European Parliament and the European Commission will discuss the issue again in Brussels on September 10. In addition to fees, also on the table is determining the maximum amount that citizens will be able to hold in digital euro wallets.
Canada "hits" the US / Tariffs of up to 50% on billions of dollars of American goods come into effect
Canada has imposed retaliatory tariffs on American products, escalating the trade war with the United States. The measures affect US goods worth 27.6......
Protection of local farmers - Kosovo imposes anti-dumping measure against wheat seed from Serbia
Kosovo has imposed a temporary anti-dumping duty on the import of wheat seed for planting originating in Serbia. The acting Minister of Industry,......
Fish and vegetables "burn" pockets in August/ They lead the increase in food prices, up to 9.8% more expensive than last year
Food prices continued to rise in August, albeit at a slower pace than the previous month. Overall, the “Food and non-alcoholic beverages” group rose by 2.8%......
National Program for Artificial Intelligence - Rama: The sector exports 222 million euros of products
Prime Minister Edi Rama announced today that the technology sector exports 222 million euros of products, or three times more than just a short time......
Underground parking at "Mother Teresa" Square - Tender 21 million euros, 170 spaces and archaeological museum. Vehicle traffic moves underground
With a limited fund of 20.8 billion lek or about 21 million euros, the Albanian Development Fund has opened the tender for the transformation of "Mother......
Support for female entrepreneurs - BoA and EBRD launch Code to increase access to finance for women in business
The Bank of Albania and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) launched today the “WE Finance Code Albania – Code for Financing Women......
Over 1.52 GW of solar and wind by 2030 - Plan: Around 1005 MW of photovoltaics and 520 MW of wind for climate targets
Our country will need over 1.5 GW of solar and wind capacity by the end of the decade, to meet the scenario foreseen in the new National Energy and Climate......
Inflation, 3.2% in August/ The rate softens compared to July, but prices continue to burden families
Inflation in Albania slowed slightly in August, following the acceleration recorded a month earlier, but remains above 3%. According to INSTAT data, the......
