Germany’s current account recorded a surplus of €30.8 billion in November 2023, up €10.8 billion on the previous month’s level. This was primarily caused by the shift into a surplus in invisible current transactions, which comprise services as well as primary and secondary income. Moreover, the surplus in the goods account increased.

Speaking at the Bundesbank’s Payments Symposium, Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel and Bundesbank Executive Board member Burkhard Balz have made the case for the Eurosystem pushing forward with its investigations into central bank digital currency. Both used their speeches as an opportunity to emphasise the benefits that a digital euro could bring. 
 

Two years have been spent exploring the possible design and distribution of a digital euro. Now, the Governing Council of the ECB is moving to the next phase of the project. This will lay the foundations for a potential digital euro. It will involve, amongst other things, finalising the digital euro rulebook and selecting providers that could develop a digital euro platform and infrastructure. However, a decision on whether to actually issue a digital euro will be made at a later date.