30.01.2024: Schriftliche Stellungnahme der Deutschen Bundesbank für das Fachgespräch mit dem Finanzausschuss des Landtages Schleswig-Holstein am 01. Februar 2024 zum Thema „Vertrauen und Akzeptanz stärken – Entwicklung des digitalen Euro konstruktiv begleiten“ (Drucksache 20/1466)

According to preliminary calculations by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), price-adjusted gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023 was 0.3% lower than a year earlier. The calendar-adjusted decline in economic output was 0.1%. According to Destatis, high prices at all stages of the economy dampened economic activity. This was joined by unfavourable financing conditions due to rising interest rates and lower demand from Germany and abroad. 

Die Ersparnisbildung (netto) im Euroraum erhöhte sich in den vier Quartalen bis zum dritten Quartal 2023 auf 734 Mrd. € (dies entspricht einem Anteil von 6,5 % des verfügbaren Nettoeinkommens im Euroraum), verglichen mit 685 Mrd. € in den vier Quartalen bis zum zweiten Quartal 2023.

In 2023, the Bundesbank registered more counterfeit money in Germany than in the previous year. In total, there were around 56,600 counterfeit euro banknotes with a nominal value of €5.1 million. “The increase in counterfeit figures was driven by a handful of major cases of fraud, predominantly involving counterfeit €200 and €500 banknotes,” stated Bundesbank Executive Board member Burkhard Balz. Overall, the incidence of counterfeiting is still low and the risk to members of the public remains small, he said.