European Central Bank concludes public survey on new euro banknote designs
More than 9 million people took part in the ECB survey on new euro banknote designs before the consultation closed on 21 September 2026.
Public consultation closes across the euro area
The European Central Bank concludes its public online consultation on 21 September 2026 regarding the redesign of future euro banknotes. More than 9 million European residents cast votes in the online survey by mid-September, one week prior to the closing deadline. The central bank invited members of the public across member states to share their preferences on potential themes and imagery. Following the closure of the survey, the central bank plans to draft and release a comprehensive final report summarizing the public responses. The ECB Governing Council will incorporate these survey findings into its deliberations before taking a final decision on the design theme at the end of 2026.
Two shortlisted themes for the next banknote series
The central bank established two shortlisted thematic options for the new cash series, providing five distinct implementation proposals for each category. The first thematic option, European Culture, features notable historical figures on the obverse side of the notes, including Ludwig van Beethoven, Marie Curie, and Leonardo da Vinci. Reverse sides under this cultural theme depict scenes of collective European life, including street performers and choral singing festivals. The second option, Rivers and Birds, focuses on the resilience and diversity of Europe's natural ecosystems. This environmental motif features indigenous wildlife such as the kingfisher, the white stork, and the northern gannet on the front, paired with European institutions such as the European Parliament, the European Commission, and the ECB on the reverse.
- First generation of euro banknotes enters circulation across participating European Union countries
- Second generation of euro banknotes with updated security features is completed
- ECB concludes public online survey with more than 9 million participants
- ECB Governing Council is scheduled to take final decision on the new design theme
Security enhancements and environmental objectives
The upcoming banknote series is designed to incorporate updated technical standards alongside its new aesthetic presentation. New security features are planned to make unauthorized reproduction and counterfeiting more difficult for criminal groups. The European Central Bank also aims to reduce the environmental footprint associated with manufacturing cash by producing notes that last longer in daily circulation. The new notes are also planned to offer improved recognizability for individuals with visual impairments. Currency authorities have stated that a substantial transition period will follow the design selection, meaning the physical bills will take time before they are printed and distributed into regular circulation.
Evolution of physical euro cash
The euro currently functions as the official shared currency for approximately 358 million people across 21 countries within the European Union. Physical euro cash first entered everyday circulation on 1 January 2002, replacing national currencies across participating member states. The central bank later introduced a second generation of banknotes equipped with revised security features, completing that rollout in May 2019. The upcoming redesign marks the next scheduled evolution of the physical notes since the completion of that second series seven years earlier.
