Positive Money Europe

20/05/2026

The ECB could make green investment more affordable for all of us - but it's moving too slowly.

In 2024 it updated its operational framework - the rulebook for how it lends money to banks and influences short-term interest rates - and promised to use it to support the green transition.

Our new report (with Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung EU) shows that the promise won't be kept until 2028, at just a fraction of the scale needed.

Watch to find out what needs to change👇

19/05/2026

🇮🇹 Nel 2029 l'Euro Digitale dovrebbe essere nelle nostre tasche. Una vera moneta pubblica, come il contante, ma sul telefono.
Una svolta per l’autonomia europea, se consideriamo che oggi quasi tutti i nostri pagamenti digitali passano dai colossi americani (Visa e Mastercard).

Ma soprattutto un servizio pubblico, che abbatterà di molto le commissioni di gestione per i commercianti e sarà accessibile a tutti i cittadini. Ad esempio anche attraverso entità pubbliche come le poste.

Tutta la storia nell’articolo dell’Huffpost di Adriano Bonafede che ha parlato con la nostra Head of policy Laura Casonato 👇

🇬🇧 By 2029, the Digital Euro should be in our pockets. Real public money, just like cash, but on your phone.

A major turning point for European autonomy, considering that today almost all of our digital payments go through US giants like Visa and Mastercard. But above all, it will be a public service that will significantly slash transaction fees for merchants and be accessible to all citizens—for instance, through public entities like the post office.

Read the full story in the HuffPost article by Adriano Bonafede, who spoke with our Head of Policy, Laura Casonato 👇

https://www.huffingtonpost.it/economia/2026/05/16/news/euro_digitale_sprint_finale_via_libera_ue_entro_dicembre_in_tasca_dal_2029-21926926

Arriva un nuovo circuito di pagamento per la moneta pubblica digitale a corso legale (oggi lo è solo il contante), e si affiancherà a quelli &quo…

21/04/2026

Europe is once again feeling the impact of rising fossil fuel prices.

As geopolitical tensions drive up gas prices, electricity costs are under pressure - affecting households and businesses across the EU.

But our new research shows that there is already a way to reduce this exposure.
Between 2023 and 2025, wind and solar reduced wholesale electricity prices by 24.2% across Europe.

This means renewable energy is not only cutting emissions - it is already helping to lower costs and protect people from energy shocks.

However, progress is uneven:
Countries investing more in renewables are reducing their reliance on gas faster, while others remain exposed.

To go further, Europe now needs to:
⚡accelerate wind and solar
🔋invest in storage and flexibility
🔌 electrify transport, heating, industry

Reducing dependence on fossil fuels is essential for both energy security and affordability.

📊Read more: https://positivemoney.org/eu/publications/towards-cheaper-electricity-moving-europe-from-gas-to-renewables/

13/04/2026

Europe is facing yet another energy price shock - this time linked to disruptions around the .

It’s a stark reminder of how exposed we remain to fossil fuel volatility and geopolitical tensions.

As our Senior Researcher Bruno explains in this article, the may once again consider raising interest rates in response.

But higher rates won’t solve a fossil fuel price crisis.

They risk making life more expensive for households and harder for businesses - without addressing the root cause.

The real issue is our dependence on imported fossil energy.

What this moment shows - yet again - is the urgent need to accelerate the transition to a resilient, homegrown energy system based on renewables.

And monetary policy should support this shift: a targeted dual interest rate could help direct affordable financing to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

👉 invest in renewable energy at home
👉 strengthen energy sovereignty
👉 build a system that is stable, affordable and resilient

Wind and solar are not just good for the climate - they protect our economies from shocks like this.

Let’s not repeat the same policy mistakes.

Read more 👇

War in the Middle East has put pressure on the ECB to raise interest rates, but experts say this will increase the cost of the green transition.

09/04/2026

Who decides who runs the European Central Bank?

Not as openly as you might think.

Boris Vujčić has recently been approved as Vice-President - the first step in a major leadership reshuffle at the ECB.

At the heart of it is the Executive Board, a small group shaping interest rates and economic decisions across the eurozone.
Governments nominate candidates. But the real choices are made earlier, behind closed doors. The European Parliament can question nominees, but it can’t block them.
And the criteria? Still vague.

This matters. ECB decisions affect millions - from inflation to the cost of living - yet the appointment process remains largely opaque.

There’s also a pattern: limited diversity, including in economic thinking. That influences how key challenges like inequality and climate change are addressed.

So should these decisions stay behind closed doors?

👉 Watch our new explainer video and read more in our blog!
https://positivemoney.org/eu/update/who-decides-who-runs-the-ecb/

19/03/2026

The ECB has decided to keep interest rates unchanged today.

This decision comes at a time when war is causing immense harm to people and communities - and also triggering new energy shocks that affect economies around the world.

In Europe, these shocks once again reveal how dependent we still are on fossil fuels - and how this dependence makes us vulnerable to crises we cannot control.

Uncertainty is growing. These shocks don’t just affect prices in the short term - they create deeper instability.

That’s why central banks should not focus only on immediate inflation data. Structural vulnerabilities like fossil fuel dependence need to be addressed.

A transition to clean energy is not just about climate - it’s about building a safer, more stable economy for everyone.

We explained “fossilflation” three years ago, and it has never been more relevant 👇
https://positivemoney.org/eu/videos/this-word-captures-everything-you-need-to-know-about-energy-prices-going-up-fossi/

16/03/2026

A major change is coming at the . 🔄

Between May 2026 and July 2027, four of the six members of the ECB’s Executive Board - including President Christine Lagarde - will be replaced.

These appointments matter because the ECB’s leadership helps shape monetary policy across the eurozone. But despite the institution’s growing visibility in recent years, the process for selecting its top officials remains largely opaque. 🫣

In our latest blog, we explain how ECB Executive Board members are chosen, why the composition of the Board matters, and what could be improved in the appointment process.

Read the full blog here:

How are ECB leaders chosen? This blog explains the opaque process behind Executive Board appointments and why transparency and diversity matter.

08/03/2026

Money is political. So is gender.

Inflation. Housing. Credit. Care work. Economic power. Monetary policy is about all of these - and its impacts are not gender neutral.

This International Women’s Day, the women of the Positive Money Europe team share why economic decisions matter for equality.

07/03/2026

At Positive Money, we work towards a fairer and more democratic economy. One that works for everyone.

For , we looked at three reasons why gender perspectives matter in economic policymaking.

The economy is not gender neutral. And neither is inflation. Women are more likely to work in lower paid sectors and carry a larger share of care responsibilities, meaning increases in the cost of living can affect them differently.

Representation is another important dimension. Today the ECB Governing Council counts 25 men and only 2 women. This is the body setting eurozone interest rates and steering inflation, which influence mortgages, savings and the wider economy.

This raises an important question:
Can an economy truly work for everyone if it’s designed by so few?

Economic policy shapes everyday life. Ensuring diverse perspectives in these debates helps bring a broader range of experiences into policymaking.

The economy works better when everyone has a seat at the table.

Explore our carousel below 👇

18/02/2026

It’s a big deal when central bankers take notice - and even bigger when they publicly cite independent analysis.

In his recent remarks, the Governor of the Banque de France referenced our Green Central Banking Scorecard as one of his institution’s proud achievements. That matters, because it shows that our research on central banks' climate action is being read, taken seriously and used as a benchmark - a real win for transparency and public accountability. 🙌

But the job isn’t finished.

With reports today that President Christine Lagarde may leave the ECB before her term ends, this is a crucial time for strong leadership and greater accountability in central banking.

Read more here:
https://positivemoney.org/uk-eu/update/proof-that-public-scrutiny-can-raise-standards-from-a-top-central-banker/

Governor of France’s central bank, François Villeroy de Galhau, cites topping Positive Money’s Green Central Banking Scorecard as one of his key achievements.