On 12 February 2026, Philip R. Lane delivered a keynote in Sofia celebrating Bulgaria’s accession to the euro area, marking a smooth euro cash transition with minimal disruption. By the end of the dual circulation period, euro notes and coins accounted for 70% of total cash, and preliminary analysis indicates only minor effects on price […]
Severe winter storms and rough seas across key migratory routes contributed to a sharp 60% year-on-year drop in irregular border crossings into the European Union in January 2026, with around 5 500 detections recorded, preliminary data collected by Frontex showed.
On 13 February 2026, the European Central Bank announced periodic penalty payments totaling €7,551,050 against Crédit Agricole for failing to adequately assess climate-related and environmental (C&E) risks.
At the Munich Security Conference on 14 February 2026, Christine Lagarde highlighted the growing intersection of trade, security, and economic policy, emphasizing the need for Europe to navigate geoeconomic fragmentation and strengthen resilience in critical supply chains.
On 14 February 2026, the European Central Bank announced enhancements to its Eurosystem repo facility for central banks (EUREP) to provide more effective and flexible euro liquidity support, ensuring smoother transmission of euro area monetary policy.
Claudia Buch, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the European Central Bank, called for deeper cooperation between ECB Banking Supervision and the newly established European Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA), highlighting the need for a more coherent and less fragmented system to tackle money laundering and terrorist financing risks across the EU.
In a speech in Vienna, Isabel Schnabel, Executive Board member of the European Central Bank, argued that Europe is not in decline but must unlock the full potential of its Single Market to compete in a rapidly changing global economy.
In a speech in Rome, Piero Cipollone, Executive Board member of the European Central Bank, warned that Europe cannot take its monetary sovereignty for granted amid growing geopolitical tensions and rapid technological change.
The European Central Bank and the European Systemic Risk Board have released a joint report examining the financial stability risks arising from connections between EU banks and the non-bank financial intermediation (NBFI) sector.
The European Central Bank and the European Systemic Risk Board have published a joint report warning that growing interconnections between EU banks and the non-bank financial intermediation (NBFI) sector could amplify systemic risks in times of market stress.
