| Criterion |
Principles |
| Price stability |
The applicant country's inflation rate must not exceed by more than 1.5 percentage points the average inflation
rate of the three Member States with the lowest inflation rates. |
| Interest rates |
The interest rate on the long-term (10-year) government bond issued in the applicant country's currency must not exceed
by more than 2 percentage points the average long-term interest rate of the three Member States with the lowest inflation rates. |
| Exchange rate |
The applicant country's currency exchange rate must not fluctuate by more than ±15% against the euro during the exchange rate mechanism (ERM II) period. |
| Government finances |
The annual budget deficit of the applicant country must not exceed 3% of the country's annual GDP. |
| Government debt |
The general government debt of the applicant country must not exceed 60% of the country's annual GDP. |
