Again, at this stage the available evidence is at best insufficient to justify introducing a CBDC, in spite of the importance of the goal of improving financial inclusion. 9 The introduction of a digital means of payment could be justified by the objective of reducing the cost of cash i.e. outlays for its production, transportation, disposal, etc.
Recent estimates suggest that these costs amount to about half of a percentage point of GDP in the European Union every year, 10 or to around € billion. By way of comparison, this figure amounts to almost half of the annual EU budget.