The President of the European Central Bank (ECB) revealed that the banknotes in question “are more than a means of payment. With designs that combine beauty and meaning, they will reinforce our common identity.”

For the ECB president, updating the banknotes is more than a design change; it is also a measure to strengthen security and prevent banknote counterfeiting. In total, 1200 graphic designers submitted applications. An independent jury of 21 experts from different research sectors selected ten design proposals.

Author: ECB;

The redesign process was launched in 2021 and consists of two distinct phases. In November 2023, the ECB chose two themes, namely “European culture” and “rivers and birds,” based on the results of a public survey. For the cultural theme, historical figures such as Maria Callas, Ludwig van Beethoven, Marie Curie, Miguel de Cervantes, Leonardo da Vinci, and Bertha von Suttner were selected, with no Portuguese historical figures mentioned. For the theme more related to nature, landscapes and birds such as the white stork, common in Portugal, were chosen.

Decision-making process

Author: ECB;

The institution is calling on Europeans to participate in the final decision-making process, through a form available on the bank's website until 21 September. In a press release, the ECB also reveals that "in parallel, an independent opinion research company will conduct a separate survey, with the same questions, with a representative sample of citizens of the euro area. The ECB will publish a report on the results of both surveys after the selection of the final design."

The final decision will be made near the end of the year, and the result will be based on different criteria, "including the conclusions of the design competition jury, a technical evaluation and the results of the two surveys." The ECB also reveals that it does not intend to classify the projects, but rather to collect different opinions.

New notes arriving in 2030

In an interview with journalists, Doris Schneeberger revealed that the newly approved notes will not all be released at the same time and that the gradual rollout should begin in 2030.

The proposed bank note designs can be seen here.