Maastricht criteria

The Maastricht criteria are a set of economic and legal standards established by the European Union for countries wishing to join the Eurozone and adopt the euro as their currency. These criteria include maintaining a stable exchange rate, controlling inflation below a certain level, keeping public debt and budget deficits within specified limits, and ensuring long-term interest rates are aligned. Meeting these criteria helps ensure that countries have strong and stable economies, contributing to the overall stability of the euro area.