MEP Rada Laykova (ESN) has challenged the European Commission's proposal to impose mandatory acceptance requirements for the digital euro, questioning whether such obligations exceed the EU's legal mandate under Article 133 TFEU. In a written parliamentary question submitted on 10 June 2026, Laykova argues that the Commission's approach may overstep into market and contractual structures beyond conventional monetary policy.
The question, filed under Rule 144, asks the Commission to justify how mandatory acceptance requirements fall within the scope of Article 133 TFEU, which allows measures necessary for the use of the euro as the single currency. Laykova also presses the Commission to clarify where it draws the line between legitimate monetary policy and broader interference in market and contractual arrangements.
This is the first parliamentary scrutiny of the digital euro proposal's acceptance provisions, which would require certain merchants and payment service providers to accept the digital euro alongside cash and existing electronic payments. The MEP's concerns reflect a broader tension between ensuring widespread adoption of the digital euro and protecting private sector autonomy.
The Commission is expected to respond within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it views the mandatory acceptance rules as a core monetary policy tool or as a regulatory intervention that could face legal or political pushback. The outcome will affect merchants, payment service providers, consumers, and EU institutions shaping the digital euro's final design.