The new euro banknote design will be partly shaped by public feedback, after the European Central Bank unveiled ten shortlisted proposals and opened an online survey for people across Europe. The consultation will remain open until 21 September 2026, while the ECB’s Governing Council is expected to select the final proposal around the end of the year.
The redesign will be the first complete change to the appearance of euro banknotes since the currency entered circulation in 2002. The selected series will replace the fictional bridges and architectural styles used on the current notes with images connected to European culture or the continent’s natural environment.
“Euro banknotes are more than a means of payment. They are one of the most tangible expressions of Europe,” ECB President Christine Lagarde said. “Through designs that combine beauty and meaning, they will reinforce our shared identity.”
Ten new euro banknote designs are open to public feedback
The ECB shortlisted ten complete banknote series, divided equally between two themes: “European culture” and “Rivers and birds”.
People taking part in the online survey can evaluate the different proposals rather than formally electing the winner. The ECB will also commission a separate survey using the same questions among a representative sample of euro area residents.
The Governing Council will consider the results of both consultations alongside the jury’s conclusions and a technical assessment. According to the ECB’s official announcement, the institution will publish a report on the surveys after choosing the final design concept.
The competition attracted more than 1,200 applications from graphic designers living across the European Union. Twenty-five designers were invited to develop proposals for one or both themes. An independent jury of 21 specialists in fields including graphic design, communication, history and neuroscience selected the ten finalists.
Beethoven, Marie Curie and Leonardo da Vinci could appear on euros
The European culture theme focuses on historical figures and shared cultural spaces. Each denomination would feature a prominent European personality on the front and a related cultural activity on the reverse.
The €5 banknote would depict opera singer Maria Callas, while the €10 note would feature composer Ludwig van Beethoven. Physicist and chemist Marie Curie would appear on the €20 note, followed by writer Miguel de Cervantes on the €50 note.
The higher denominations would feature Leonardo da Vinci on the €100 banknote and Austrian pacifist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Bertha von Suttner on the €200 note.
The reverse sides would show European cultural settings such as public performances, schools, libraries, exhibitions and public squares. Several shortlisted designers used conventional portraits, while others concentrated on details such as eyes and mouths to represent observation, expression and cultural exchange.
The figures and motifs were selected as part of the ECB’s broader process to create banknotes that reflect a shared European identity, as described in the official shortlist presentation.
Rivers and birds connect nature with European institutions
The alternative Rivers and birds theme follows the course of water from a mountain spring to the sea. Each denomination combines a stage of a river with a European bird species.
The series begins with a wallcreeper near a mountain spring on the €5 note. The €10 note pairs a kingfisher with a waterfall, while the €20 note shows bee-eaters beside a river valley.
A white stork flying over a meandering river would appear on the €50 banknote. The €100 note would feature an avocet at a river mouth, and the €200 note would show a northern gannet above the open sea.
The reverse sides would depict major European Union institutions, including the European Parliament, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, the Court of Justice of the European Union and the European Council.
The theme reflects the idea that rivers and birds cross political borders and can represent European interdependence, natural resilience and environmental responsibility.
A Finnish designer is among the euro banknote finalists
Finnish graphic designer and illustrator Ville Tietäväinen created proposal J, one of the five shortlisted series based on rivers and birds.
His design tells a continuous story across the six denominations. The journey begins at a mountain source and gradually follows the river towards the ocean as the value of the banknotes increases.
In an interview with Finnish public broadcaster Yle, Tietäväinen said rivers and birds represented movement across European borders and the continent’s dependence on nature. He considered the historical figures proposed for the cultural theme more closely associated with traditional banknote design, while his proposal was intended to look towards the future.
The birds and landscapes were defined in the competition requirements, but the locations could not represent a specific identifiable place in Europe. Tietäväinen’s banknotes instead form a connected visual narrative moving from inland waterways to the open sea.
The new notes will improve security and accessibility
The redesign is not limited to appearance. The ECB intends to introduce new anti-counterfeiting features, improve durability and make the banknotes easier to authenticate.
Accessibility will also be considered during further development and testing, particularly for blind and visually impaired users. The central bank aims to reduce the environmental footprint of cash through more sustainable materials, longer-lasting notes and improved production processes.
“The redesign of the euro banknotes is part of a long-term effort by the Eurosystem to ensure that cash remains a secure, efficient and relatable means of payment, preserving citizens’ access to public money and their freedom to choose how to pay,” ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone said in the central bank’s press release.
Periodically issuing new banknote series allows central banks to use technological advances to remain ahead of counterfeiters. The next notes will therefore include improved security elements and features intended to make authenticity easier to verify.
The plans were also reported by Danish public broadcaster DR, which highlighted the two competing themes and the role assigned to the European public in the selection process.
After the Governing Council selects a proposal, the chosen designs will undergo additional technical development, security testing and preparation for production. The new banknotes are therefore not expected to enter circulation immediately, but during the following years.
Existing euro notes will retain their value and continue to circulate alongside the new series. The redesign will consequently change the visual identity of Europe’s common currency without requiring people to exchange their current cash.
