ECB unveils sketches for new euro banknotes and opens vote until 21 September

The European Central Bank (ECB) has unveiled sketches for the next series of euro banknotes and opened an online survey on their future design: anyone living in the euro area, including Cyprus, can take part. The survey is open until 21 September 2026.

The shortlisted proposals are built around two themes — “European culture” and “Rivers and birds”. In the cultural design, the €5 banknote features opera singer Maria Callas, the €10 note features German composer Ludwig van Beethoven, and the €20 note is dedicated to Nobel laureate Marie Curie.

The €50 banknote features Miguel de Cervantes, author of Don Quixote, the €100 note features Leonardo da Vinci, and the €200 note features Nobel Peace Prize laureate Bertha von Suttner.

The sketches were selected through an EU-wide competition. Graphic designers submitted more than 1,200 entries, and 25 people were selected to develop proposals on one or both themes. An independent jury of 21 experts appointed by the euro area’s central bank chose 10 final proposals — these are the ones included in the survey.

“Euro banknotes are more than a means of payment; they are one of the most tangible expressions of Europe,” ECB President Christine Lagarde said. According to her, designs that combine “beauty and meaning” will strengthen Europeans’ shared identity.

Alongside the public survey, an independent research company will survey a representative sample of euro area residents. The ECB also aims to reduce the environmental footprint of banknotes by making them more durable and switching to more sustainable materials and production processes.