05/02/24 (Agence Europe) – Agence France Presse reported, on Monday 5 February, that the Czech Minister for European Affairs, Martin Dvořák, had appointed the economist Petr Zahradník as commissioner for accession to the European Exchange Rate Mechanism and adoption of the euro. President Petr Pavel had announced concrete steps towards the adoption of the euro in his New Year’s speech. For now, the Czech Republic uses the Czech koruna as its currency. The Member State has been participating in the third stage of the Economic and Monetary Union since joining the EU. It acquired the status of a Member State with a derogation from adopting the euro, but is committed to introducing the single currency and joining the euro area. The Czech Republic has already set out the principles for adopting the euro in a strategic document. Link to the strategy: https://aeur.eu/f/apq (EV)