„Euro banknotes are more than just a means of payment. They are one of Europe’s most tangible symbols,” said ECB President Christine Lagarde. “Euro banknotes, whose design combines beauty and meaning, will strengthen our common identity.”
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The published design proposals were selected after a design competition held across the European Union. More than 1,200 graphic designers submitted applications, of which 25 were invited to create design proposals based on one or both themes.
See the selected designs HERE.
An independent evaluation committee, composed of 21 experts representing various fields such as graphic design, communication, neuroscience, and history (each appointed by a euro area central bank), selected ten design proposals.
Following the Governing Council’s decision to launch an online public opinion survey, all European citizens are invited to express their views on these ten selected design proposals.
The public opinion survey will run until September 21, 2026. At the same time, an independent research company will conduct a separate survey: it will involve a representative sample of euro area citizens, and the same questions will be asked. After selecting the final design concept, the ECB will publish a report on the results of both surveys. Public feedback is a key element of the Eurosystem’s principle of inclusiveness, ensuring that the opinions of all European citizens are taken into account.
The Governing Council is expected to make the final decision on the new banknote design by the end of this year. It will base its decision on various data, including the findings of the design competition committee, technical evaluation, and the results of the two public opinion surveys.
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Before the banknotes of this chosen design are issued, it will be further refined and tested. The new series of banknotes is expected to enter circulation over the next few years. Previous series of euro banknotes will not lose their value and will circulate alongside the new series. This will be the first comprehensive redesign of euro banknotes since their introduction in 2002.
„The redesign of euro banknotes is part of the Eurosystem’s long-term efforts to ensure that cash remains a safe, efficient, and universally accepted means of payment, thereby preserving citizens’ access to public money and their freedom to choose their payment method,” said ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone.
Advanced technologies are used to prepare new series of banknotes, making it more difficult to counterfeit euro banknotes. The new banknotes will incorporate new and improved security features to make them easier to verify their authenticity and improve accessibility, including for people with visual impairments.
The ECB also aims to reduce the environmental footprint of banknotes by increasing their durability and using more sustainable materials and production processes.
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