(ANSA) - BRUXELLES - The EU General Affairs Council gave the final approval for Lithuania to enter Eurozone as of January 1st 2015.

"Lithuania's joining the Euro family represents an event of crucial importance for the Eurozone on the whole", said the Italian Under Secretary for European Affairs, Sandro Gozi, underlining that it was a "demonstration of the continued attractiveness of the single currency project and of its relevance to the future of our community".

European leaders acknowledged that Lithuania has met all the criteria of convergence on June 27, approving the proposal of the Commission. The European Central Bank and the Eu Parliament gave Lithuania a 'green light' on July 14 and 16 respectively. The permanent exchange rate has been fixed at 3,45280 Lithuanian Litas per one Euro.

Lithuania will become the 19th EU Member to have adopted the Euro. Slovakia joined in 2009, followed by Estonia in 2011 e Latvia in 2014. (ANSA).