Key Highlights
- ECB opened applications for two digital euro Rulebook Development Group workstreams on March 18.
- The roles focus on ATM and terminal implementation standards, plus certification and approval rules for payment infrastructure.
- Applications are due by April 10, 2026, and any final decision to issue a digital euro still depends on the EU legislative process.
- The ECB still says a potential first issuance could happen in 2029 if lawmakers adopt the regulation in 2026.
The European Central Bank has opened a new round of recruitment for technical experts to help shape the rulebook behind the proposed digital euro, signaling that the project is continuing to move deeper into its build-out phase even though the currency itself has not yet been approved.
In a notice published on March 18, the ECB said it is seeking specialists for two workstreams under its digital euro Rulebook Development Group, or RDG. The group helps develop the scheme rulebook that would govern how a digital euro works across the euro area, including the standards, procedures, and operational requirements for market participants.
ECB seeks experts for two technical workstreams
The first opening is for Workstream G5, which focuses on implementation specifications for ATM and terminal providers. According to the ECB, this group will review and develop rulebook proposals covering ATMs, payment terminals, communication technologies, offline digital euro integration, and the reuse of existing standards. The ECB said expertise in interfacing with or providing ATM and payment terminal systems is essential for this role.
The second opening is for Workstream B1, which centers on the certification and approval framework. Its job is to develop proposals for testing and certifying payment and acceptance solutions, along with infrastructure used by payment service providers inside the digital euro ecosystem. The ECB said expertise in payments and acceptance devices is required for that position.
Candidates who meet the eligibility requirements must submit their applications and CVs by Friday, April 10, 2026, via email. The ECB also said that, where relevant, a support letter from a current RDG member would be appreciated.
What this means for the digital euro
The announcement does not mean the ECB has approved the digital euro for launch. Instead, it shows the central bank is continuing to write the operating rules and technical standards that would be needed if the project gets the political green light. The ECB explicitly said the draft rulebook is being designed to remain flexible and will be updated based on the outcome of the EU legislative process.
Most importantly, the ECB repeated that its Governing Council will only decide whether to issue a digital euro after the legislative act has been adopted. That means the project remains conditional on lawmakers finishing the regulation first.
The ECB is acting like a builder, but not yet like an issuer. It is putting the plumbing in place while Brussels is still working on the legal foundation. That keeps the digital euro firmly in preparation mode rather than launch mode. This is an inference based on the ECB’s own description of the process and timeline.
Broader digital euro timeline still points to 2029
The ECB’s broader project timeline still points to a possible 2029 issuance, assuming EU lawmakers pass the necessary regulation during 2026. On its digital euro progress page, the central bank says the preparation phase ran from November 2023 to October 2025 and that technical work is continuing in support of the legislative process.
The ECB has separately said that if co-legislators adopt the regulation in 2026, a pilot exercise and initial transactions could begin as early as mid-2027, with the Eurosystem aiming to be ready for a potential first issuance in 2029.
That means the March 18 expert call fits into a larger sequence of work already underway. Earlier this month, the ECB also published details for its digital euro pilot timeline, including a pilot preparation phase in the first half of 2026 and an application deadline of May 14, 2026 for payment service providers interested in participating.
Why the rulebook matters
For the digital euro to work across the euro area, the ECB needs more than policy backing. It needs common technical standards for ATMs, merchant terminals, payment acceptance, certification, interoperability, and offline usage. That is what the scheme rulebook is designed to provide.
In practical terms, these workstreams are about making sure a future digital euro would function consistently across banks, merchants, payment service providers, and hardware networks rather than becoming a fragmented public-sector payment product with different standards across countries. This is an inference drawn from the ECB’s description of the rulebook as a “single set of rules, standards and procedures” for use across the euro area.
Bigger picture
The ECB continues to frame the digital euro as a complement to cash, not a replacement for it. The wider EU policy pitch is that a digital euro could provide a secure public digital payment option across the euro area.
But politically and legislatively, the project is still unfinished. Even with technical work accelerating, the final go-ahead will depend on whether EU lawmakers complete the regulation on time. For now, the ECB is building the standards, recruiting specialists, and keeping its 2029 target alive without yet crossing into issuance.
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