The European Central Bank has unveiled 10 shortlisted designs for the next generation of euro banknotes, giving Europeans a choice between famous cultural personalities and images of rivers, birds and natural landscapes.
The proposed makeover will be the first complete thematic redesign of euro banknotes since the currency entered circulation in 2002. The ECB intends to select the final design around the end of 2026, although the new notes will require several years of development, security testing and production before reaching the public.
Five shortlisted series follow the theme “European culture,” while the other five use “Rivers and birds.” The designs remain proposals rather than finished banknotes, and details including watermarks, security foils and other anti-counterfeiting elements may change considerably before production.
Under the cultural theme, each denomination would feature a prominent European personality on the front and a related cultural activity on the reverse. The €5 note would depict opera singer Maria Callas, accompanied by street performers on the back.
Composer Ludwig van Beethoven would appear on the €10 note, with a choir or music festival on the reverse. The €20 would honour Polish-French scientist Marie Skłodowska Curie and show a school or university. Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes would appear on the €50, paired with a library.
Leonardo da Vinci would feature on the €100 note, while its reverse would portray a museum or exhibition. The €200 note would show peace activist and Nobel laureate Bertha von Suttner, with people gathering in a public square on the opposite side.
The alternative nature theme would follow a river’s journey from its mountain source towards the sea. The €5 note would depict a wallcreeper in a mountainous spring landscape, while the €10 would show a kingfisher near a waterfall.
The €20 would feature bee-eaters beside a riverbank, the €50 a white stork above a meandering river and the €100 an avocet near a river mouth. A northern gannet flying over ocean waves would appear on the €200 note.
Buildings belonging to European institutions would be shown on the reverse sides. These would include the European Parliament, European Commission, European Central Bank, Court of Justice of the European Union, European Council and European Court of Auditors.
The nature designs are intended to represent freedom, unity and environmental responsibility. Rivers and migratory birds cross national borders, making them useful symbols for a currency shared by countries with different languages, histories and cultural traditions.
The cultural series takes the opposite approach by replacing anonymous architecture with recognisable people. Existing euro banknotes use imaginary bridges, windows and gateways inspired by different European architectural periods. These fictional structures were originally chosen to avoid favouring any particular member state.
The ECB launched its redesign process in 2021. More than 365,000 people participated in an earlier consultation that helped reduce seven possible themes to the current two. The central bank then invited graphic designers living in the European Union to enter a competition.
The contest received 1,241 applications from every EU country. Twenty-five designers were selected to develop complete banknote series, producing 39 proposals, 23 under “Rivers and birds” and 16 under “European culture.” An independent 21-member jury selected five finalists from each theme.
The proposals vary substantially in style. Some use traditional portraits and familiar horizontal layouts, while others contain bold illustrations, vertical designs, collages, infographics and abstract patterns. The ECB has published all 10 shortlisted proposals for the public to examine.
Everyone can participate in the ECB’s online survey until September 21, 2026, regardless of age, nationality or place of residence. The questionnaire is available in all 24 official EU languages. A separate representative survey of euro-area residents is also being conducted by an independent research company.
The public survey is advisory rather than a binding vote. The ECB’s Governing Council will consider public preferences alongside the jury’s recommendations and technical assessments before choosing the winning series. A report explaining the survey results will be published after the final decision.
Security is a major reason for the redesign. Counterfeiting and reproduction technology continue to evolve, requiring central banks to introduce improved watermarks, holograms and other features. The next series is also intended to be easier for the public to authenticate.
Accessibility will influence the final development. The ECB wants denominations to be easier to recognise and handle, particularly for people with visual impairments. It is consulting organisations representing vulnerable groups and examining how differences in colour, size, texture and tactile markings can be improved.
Environmental sustainability is another priority. Current euro notes are printed on cotton-fibre paper, and the ECB is considering ways to extend their lifespan and reduce the environmental impact of production, transport and disposal.
The new series is expected to retain the six current denominations: €5, €10, €20, €50, €100 and €200. No new €500 note is planned. The note’s issuance ended in 2019 because of concerns about its use in illegal activities, although existing €500 banknotes remain legal tender.
The sizes and dominant colours of the new notes are also likely to remain broadly unchanged. Keeping these features would make the transition easier for consumers while reducing the expense of adapting cash machines, vending equipment and banknote-processing systems.
Crucially, people will not lose money when the new designs appear. The ECB has confirmed that existing euro banknotes will retain their value and continue circulating alongside the new series. The redesign is therefore not a currency replacement or preparation for eliminating cash in favour of a digital euro. Instead, the ECB describes it as a long-term effort to ensure that physical money remains secure, inclusive and relevant. Whether Europe ultimately chooses Beethoven and Curie or kingfishers and storks, its familiar banknotes are preparing for their most visible transformation in more than two decades.
