Europeans are being invited to help shape the future look of the euro after the European Central Bank (ECB) unveiled ten shortlisted designs for the first complete redesign of the currency’s banknotes since their introduction in 2002.
The proposals are divided between two themes, “European culture” and “Rivers and birds”, offering a choice between banknotes featuring figures including Maria Callas, Ludwig van Beethoven, Marie Curie and Leonardo da Vinci, or European bird species and natural landscapes.
A public survey is now open and will run until 21 September 2026, with the ECB’s Governing Council expected to select the final design around the end of the year.
“Euro banknotes are more than a means of payment – they are one of the most tangible expressions of Europe,” said ECB President Christine Lagarde. “Through designs that combine beauty and meaning, they will reinforce our shared identity.”
Callas, Beethoven, Curie and Da Vinci
Under the “European culture” theme, each denomination would celebrate a different figure from Europe’s cultural and intellectual history.
The €5 note would feature opera singer Maria Callas, followed by composer Ludwig van Beethoven on the €10, scientist and Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie on the €20, and Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes on the €50.
Leonardo da Vinci would appear on the €100 note, while Austrian writer, peace campaigner and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Bertha von Suttner would feature on the €200.
Together, the six figures represent different areas of European culture, including performing arts, music, science, literature, visual arts and education.
Rivers and birds offer an alternative
The second theme, “Rivers and birds”, focuses instead on Europe’s natural environment and biodiversity.
Each denomination would depict a different European bird in a river landscape. The series includes the wallcreeper, kingfisher, European bee-eater, white stork, avocet and northern gannet.
The reverse sides would feature European institutions, including the European Parliament, European Commission, European Central Bank, Court of Justice of the European Union, European Council and Council of the European Union, and European Court of Auditors.
The two themes had already been selected following earlier consultations on the redesign of the euro banknotes.
More than 1,200 designers applied
The ten shortlisted proposals are the result of an EU-wide design competition that attracted more than 1,200 applications from graphic designers.
Twenty-five designers were invited to develop proposals for one or both themes before an independent jury of 21 experts selected the ten finalists. The jury included specialists in fields such as graphic design, communication, neuroscience and history, with each member nominated by a euro-area central bank.
Five competing designs have been shortlisted for each of the two themes.
The next stage now puts Europeans at the centre of the selection process. Anyone can provide feedback through the ECB’s online survey until 21 September.
In parallel, an independent research company will conduct a separate survey using the same questions among a representative sample of euro-area citizens.
Final decision expected by end of 2026
The results of both surveys will be considered alongside the conclusions of the design jury and a technical assessment before the ECB’s Governing Council makes its final decision, expected around the end of the year.
The selected design will then undergo further development and testing before production begins. The ECB says the new banknotes are expected to enter circulation in subsequent years, rather than immediately after the design is selected.
Existing euro banknotes will retain their value and continue to circulate alongside the new series.
They carry my signature, but these are your banknotes.
— Christine Lagarde (@Lagarde) July 23, 2026
Now it’s your turn to help shape what they’ll look like in the future.
Take part in the survey before 21 September and tell us which of the design proposals you’d like to see in your wallet https://t.co/2WiJdeIQNv pic.twitter.com/uBmbetV5aC
The redesign is also intended to improve security and accessibility. New features will seek to make the banknotes easier to authenticate and more accessible to visually impaired people, while greater durability and more sustainable materials and production processes should reduce their environmental footprint.
“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,” said ECB Executive Board member Piero Cipollone.
