European Commission recommends Croatia's admission to eurozone next year
21:47
The EC has recommended Croatia's admission to the eurozone next year after concluding that it meets the necessary requirements on issues including inflation and public debt. This will bring the number of eurozone member states to twenty,
"Less than a decade after joining the EU, Croatia is now ready to join the eurozone. This step will strengthen the Croatian economy, benefiting its citizens, businesses, and society as a whole," Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said.
Other zone governments are expected to make a final decision on Croatia's admission to the eurozone in the first half of July. Countries must consult the European Parliament and the European Central Bank before making a decision. A positive outcome would make Croatia the first new country in the zone since Lithuania joined in 2015.
Meanwhile, the European Commission assesses that Poland does not fulfill the conditions for adopting the euro, in light of its assessment of legal compatibility and the fulfillment of the convergence criteria, and taking into account additional relevant factors, the Commission said. Poland only meets the criterion of public finances.
