The Heads of State or Government of the EU countries have agreed to set up an off-budget entity to help address the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Writing in the latest edition of the Monthly Report, the Bundesbank’s economists note that while solidarity is understandable, it is worrying that the financial assistance will be funded by large-scale and long-term Community debt.

In 2018, individuals in Germany stored an average of €1,364 in cash at home or in a safe deposit box, a study from the Bundesbank’s latest Monthly Report reveals. Research shows that this is mainly the result of financial and practical reasons such as the low interest rate level or the usability of cash as a means of payment. The study did not provide any evidence of tax avoidance as a motive for storing cash.