Future payment solutions and boosting Europe’s economic growth among discussion topics at Turku’s Europe Forum on 27 August 2026

Esko Antola Lecture: The digital euro – A European alternative to digital payments

The Esko Antola Lecture has been organised by the Bank of Finland since the early years of the Europe Forum and has established itself as one of the main events in the programme. This year’s Esko Antola Lecture will be held at the Turku City Theatre (Main Stage) on Thursday 27 August 2026 at 11:00–12:00. The Lecture is titled ‘The digital euro – A European alternative to digital payments’.

As the use of cash declines, electronic payment methods have become increasingly widespread. The digital payment solutions currently used by Europeans are dependent on commercial operators outside Europe. As digital payments gain ground over cash, the need for a public digital means of payment alongside cash has become more pronounced.

The session will begin with a lecture on the digital euro by Tuomas Välimäki, Member of the Board of the Bank of Finland, and this will be followed by a panel discussion to explore the topic further. The discussion panellists will be Aura Salla, Member of the European Parliament, Masa Peura, SVP Everyday Banking at OP Pohjola and Paula Pessi, Deputy Secretary General of The Consumers’ Union of Finland. The panel discussion will be moderated by Aleksi Grym, Head of the Payment Systems Department at the Bank of Finland.

"We are living through times marked by uncertainty. The reach of geopolitics is extending to payments as well. Digitalisation has made payment faster and easier, but payment has also become heavily concentrated. What was yesterday seen as efficient can today be a vulnerability. The digital euro is one of the Eurosystem's key projects for strengthening the resilience of European payments,” says Member of the Board of the Bank of Finland Tuomas Välimäki.

The idea of a central bank digital currency (CBDC) has gained increasing attention among researchers and central bankers in recent years. The Eurosystem is exploring and preparing for the possibility of issuing central bank money in digital form during 2029. This payment instrument for euro area citizens is referred to as the digital euro. Its purpose is to complement cash and existing private-sector solutions.

European human capital – A cornerstone of competitiveness and a driver of growth

The Bank of Finland will host an afternoon session at 14:45–15:30 on 27 August 2026 to discuss labour productivity growth and erosion of human capital. The European Union has been built on the principles of free movement and the single market, yet it has struggled to generate sustainable economic growth compared to its key competitors. One significant challenge may be the erosion of human capital. Research by the Bank of Finland, among others, highlights a slowing of labour productivity growth and a risk that growth in human capital will turn into a decline in the future.

The interview questions will focus on what factors are hindering the growth of human capital in Europe, and how can human capital be most effectively translated into sustainable economic growth and innovation. The interviewees will be Professor Jari Eloranta of the University of Helsinki and Meri Obstbaum, Adviser to the Board of the Bank of Finland. The moderator will be Juha Kilponen, Head of the Monetary Policy and Research Department at the Bank of Finland.

Bank of Finland at the Europe Forum

The Europe Forum is Finland’s largest EU-themed public event. It is organised this year as a hybrid three-day event taking place on 26–28 August. The venue is the Turku City Theatre. All parts of the programme will be broadcast online in real time. This year’s Europe Forum theme is ‘Building the EU’s success on values, innovations and security’. The programme includes altogether 40 events and more than 150 speakers exploring Europe’s future from perspectives that include competitiveness, the green transition, security and innovation.

The Europe Forum programme is available here: https://europeforum.fi/en/programme/. Attendance in person requires advance registration online. Europe Forum is organised by Eurooppa-Foorumi Turussa ry – Europa Forum i Åbo rf.