New Euro Banknotes Designs 2026: Vote on Birds vs European Culture Icons

The European Central Bank has released a shortlist of ten designs for the first complete redesign of euro banknotes since 2002. Europeans can now vote on the final look of the new euro notes, choosing between two clear themes: European birds and rivers, or iconic figures from European culture.

Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, called the redesign a chance to strengthen shared identity. “Euro banknotes are more than a means of payment—they are one of the most tangible expressions of Europe,” she said. “Through designs that combine beauty and meaning, they will reinforce our shared identity.”

How the New Euro Banknote Themes Were Chosen

A 2023 public survey received more than 365,000 responses. Two themes rose to the top: “rivers and birds” and “European culture.” Designers from across the European Union then submitted over 1,200 proposals. A jury selected 25 artists who created the current shortlist of five designs for each theme.

Public voting remains open until mid-September. After the final choice is made, the new euro banknotes will enter circulation gradually over several years. Existing euro notes will stay valid and keep their full value. The redesign also improves security features to keep cash payments safer.

European Culture Theme: Six Historic Figures on New Euro Notes

The culture designs feature portraits of major European figures:

• €5: Maria Callas, the Greek-American opera singer known as “La Divina”
• €10: Ludwig van Beethoven, composer of the Ninth Symphony
• €20: Marie Curie, the Nobel Prize-winning Polish scientist who discovered radium and polonium
• €50: Miguel de Cervantes, Spanish author of Don Quixote
• €100: Leonardo da Vinci, Italian Renaissance polymath
• €200: Bertha von Suttner, Austrian writer and Nobel Peace Prize winner

One official description explains that the portraits move beyond individual identity toward a shared human capacity for cultural production. The reverse sides show contemporary cultural spaces where people of different ages and backgrounds meet and interact.

Birds and Rivers Theme: Six European Species on New Euro Banknotes

The nature designs highlight European birds in natural settings:

• €5: Scarlet wallcreeper in the mountains
• €10: Kingfisher beside a waterfall
• €20: Flock of bee-eaters
• €50: White stork flying over a meandering river valley
• €100: Avocet crossing a mudflat
• €200: Northern gannet soaring over ocean waves

According to the European Central Bank, the bird appears alone on the front and in groups on the back. It symbolizes dialogue and interdependence between societies and nature.

Public Reaction and Next Steps for the New Euro Notes

Online responses have been mixed. Many people describe the bird designs as beautiful, fantastic, and clean. Others have criticized the limited range of nationalities among the cultural figures or questioned whether a full redesign is needed.

The new euro banknotes will join the existing series rather than replace it overnight. Old notes will continue to work normally. The redesign forms part of ongoing efforts to keep cash a secure and practical means of payment across the eurozone.

A parallel process is underway in the United Kingdom, where the Bank of England has shortlisted animals for possible use on future £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes.

Europeans interested in shaping the look of the next euro banknotes can still cast their vote before the mid-September deadline.

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