The preparation of the third generation of euro banknotes has reached its most visible and concrete phase: the European Central Bank has unveiled the ten shortlisted design families and opened a Europe-wide public consultation active until 21 September 2026.
These are not yet issued or definitively approved banknotes, but complete design proposals that make the potential visual identities of future European cash visible for the first time. The ECB Governing Council is scheduled to select the winning proposal around the end of 2026.
Recent developments: the ten shortlisted families (2026)
Launched in July 2025 with more than 1,200 applications from designers across the European Union, the design contest invited 25 entrants to create complete banknote series. On 23 July 2026, an independent jury of 21 experts selected ten finalist families—five for “European culture” and five for “Rivers and birds”.
Each proposal covers all six denominations planned for the series: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 euro.
Theme: European culture
Proposal A (European culture) — Studio Joost Grootens (Netherlands): portraits cropped tightly around the eyes and the mouth, with contemporary cultural spaces on the reverses.
Proposal C (European culture) — Neue Gestaltung (Germany): one strong colour per denomination, constellations laid over a map of Europe and contemporary figures drawn without individual features.
Proposal E (European culture) — Myrsini Vardopoulou (Greece): a classical composition in pastel tones, each figure ringed by signs and references drawn from their own work.
Proposal F (European culture) — Jan Robert Dünnweller (Germany): hand-drawn portraits and collaged textures on watercolour grounds, under the motto “United in diversity”.
Proposal G (European culture) —
Rubio & del Amo and Cruz más Cruz
(Spain): a single central gaze on each note, one colour per denomination and vertical forms that resolve into the word EURO when the note is turned.
Theme: Rivers and birds
Proposal B (Rivers and birds) — PunktFormStrich (Austria): birdsong and flight speed translated into graphic data, with European institutions set over a map of the continent.
Proposal D (Rivers and birds) —
Rudy Guedj and François Girard-Meunier
(Netherlands): six birds crossing abstracted landscapes, joined by a continuous river and a band of light that shifts as the values rise.
Proposal H (Rivers and birds) — Atelier Goppel-Toperngpong (Germany): water as a metaphor for European cooperation, followed from a mountain source to the sea.
Proposal I (Rivers and birds) — Isabelle Daëron (France): birds alone on the fronts and in groups on the reverses, hand-drawn strokes laid over vector patterns.
Proposal J (Rivers and birds) — Ville Tietäväinen (Finland): one river journey told across the six denominations, with the security foils showing successive phases of the river.
Public consultation and next milestones
Alongside the presentation of the shortlisted proposals, the ECB launched a twofold consultation:
- Open online survey: available to all European residents through 21 September 2026.
- Representative demographic poll: conducted by an independent research firm across the euro area.
The survey results, together with technical jury evaluations, will guide the ECB Governing Council as it selects the final design by late 2026.
| Phase | Timeline | Status and activities |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation and surveys | July – 21 September 2026 | In progress: open online survey and representative polling. |
| Final design decision | Late 2026 | Expected: decision by the ECB Governing Council. |
| Engineering and testing | Subsequent years | Security integration and industrial trial printing runs. |
| Issuance and circulation | To be announced | Gradual introduction of new notes alongside existing series. |
Foundational context: origins of the redesign
To understand the current proposals, it is helpful to look back at the origins of the redesign project.
The First series of euro banknotes entered circulation in 2002 with Robert Kalina’s “Ages and styles of Europe” design. Between 2013 and 2019, the Europa series updated security features while retaining the same architectural motif of stylized windows, doorways and bridges.
In December 2021, the ECB officially initiated the process for an entirely redesigned series based on three core institutional priorities:
- Security and anti-counterfeiting: integrating advancements in substrate technology, inks and diffractive holographic elements.
- Inclusivity and accessibility: optimizing recognition for blind and visually impaired citizens through distinct formats, high contrasts and tactile edges.
- Environmental sustainability: minimizing ecological footprint across paper production, printing, cash logistics and end-of-life handling.
Defining the two themes and motif sets
The initial phase focused on identifying themes that resonate across European cultures. In November 2023, the Governing Council selected two shortlist themes, later formalizing detailed motif sets in January 2025:
Theme 1: European culture
This theme connects each denomination with a shared cultural sphere and a universal European historical figure:
| Denomination | Front motif | Back motif |
|---|---|---|
| 5 euro | Performing arts; Maria Callas | Street artists performing music, dance or theatre |
| 10 euro | Musica; Ludwig van Beethoven | A music festival with a youth choir |
| 20 euro | Universities and schools; Marie Curie | An educational space with teachers and students |
| 50 euro | Libraries; Miguel de Cervantes | A public library with readers |
| 100 euro | Museums and exhibitions; Leonardo da Vinci | Visitors looking at artworks in an exhibition |
| 200 euro | Public squares; Bertha von Suttner | A tree-lined square used as a civic meeting place |
Theme 2: Rivers and birds
This theme traces the journey of water across Europe, pairing native bird species with EU institutions:
| Denomination | Front motif | Back motif |
|---|---|---|
| 5 euro | Mountain source with wallcreeper | European Parliament |
| 10 euro | Waterfall with common kingfisher | European Commission |
| 20 euro | River valley with European bee-eaters | European Central Bank |
| 50 euro | Meandering river with white stork | Court of Justice of the European Union |
| 100 euro | River estuary with pied avocet on mudflat | European Council and Council of the EU |
| 200 euro | Seascape with northern gannet above waves | European Court of Auditors |
What it means for collectors
When the third series eventually enters production, it will open an entirely new chapter of numismatic research. Until then, two practical facts remain clear:
- Continuous legal tender: First and Europa series notes will retain their value and circulate normally alongside the new generation.
- Deferred technical details: Plate codes, serial number structures, signatures and public anti-counterfeiting features will be documented only once pilot production runs are officially authorized.
