ECB lawyers from the German firm Bock Legal filed a corresponding application with the European Union Office of Intellectual Property (EUIPO) on 22 September. To date, the application has not yet been approved.
This step demonstrates the continuing enthusiasm of the regulator for digital central bank currencies (CBDC). However, the ECB has not yet made a final decision on the issue of the digital euro. A report is currently being prepared for publication, the response to which will determine the future direction of this work.
"The euro system has not yet made the decision to introduce a digital euro, but like many other central banks around the world, we are looking at the benefits, risks and operational challenges of this process," said ECB Chairman Christine Lagarde recently. - The results of the working group's work are expected to be presented to the public in the coming weeks, followed by a public debate.
She later explained that the digital euro should be an addition to, and not a substitute for, the existing fiat currency. "It can provide an alternative to private digital currencies and ensure that the sovereign currency remains at the centre of the European payment system," she said.