Poland will not be able to switch to the euro yet, as it does not meet most of the criteria necessary for joining the eurozone. This conclusion was reached by the European Commission in its Convergence Report for 2026, which assessed the readiness of five EU countries that still use their national currencies. This is reported by inPoland, citing the Commission's report.
Why Poland cannot switch to the euro yet
The European Commission analyzed the readiness of Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, and Sweden to introduce the single currency. As a result, none of these countries currently meets all the requirements for joining the eurozone.
For Poland, the main problems remain the level of inflation, the state of public finances, high long-term interest rates, and the lack of participation in the ERM II exchange rate mechanism, which is a mandatory step before switching to the euro.
In addition to economic criteria, the European Commission also pointed out the need to align Poland's National Bank activities legislation with European Union norms.
Which indicators do not meet EU requirements
The state of public finances raises the most concern in Brussels.
According to the European Commission:
- Poland's budget deficit in 2025 was 7.3% of GDP against an allowable rate of 3%;
- the average inflation over the last 12 months reached 2.9% with a reference value of 2.7%;
- long-term interest rates were at 5.4% with a maximum allowable level of 5.1%.
Moreover, the European Commission forecasts a further increase in public debt, which also complicates compliance with the Maastricht criteria.
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When can Poland switch to the euro
In the current report, the European Commission does not specify potential dates for introducing the euro in Poland. Firstly, the country needs to reduce the budget deficit, stabilize macroeconomic indicators, join the ERM II mechanism, and align its national legislation with EU requirements.
As long as these conditions are not met, the prospects for Poland to switch to the single European currency remain uncertain.
It should be noted that Polish workers are among the most overloaded in the European Union. In 2025, the average duration of the working week in the country was 38 hours, significantly exceeding the EU average.