ECB Puts Europeans in Charge of Euro Banknote Design

The European Central Bank (ECB) has launched a public consultation to choose between two themes for the design of new euro banknotes. The cultural option features iconic figures of European thought, including Leonardo da Vinci and Bertha von Suttner, while the alternative focuses on European birds.

According to the ECB, the new banknotes should enter circulation at the end of 2026. This marks a significant step in the long process that must lead to the final selection of the new banknote design.

The public consultation is part of a tradition of citizen consultation already used in previous developments in the design of European banknotes, with the ECB seeking to involve Europeans in the symbolic choices that accompany their common currency.