Brussels –The new euro banknotes are on their way. The European Central Bank has unveiled proposals for new designs for the front and back of the 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200-euro notes. There are different colour schemes and themes (culture and nature), but what stands out is the idea of “drawn” and stylised banknotes, designed to look like mini-posters or reproductions of Futurist paintings. Some people will like the idea; others won’t. The ECB is launching the public survey to let European citizens themselves choose what they want to hold in their hands. There will be time until 21 September to vote for the winning sets of new banknotes from among the selected finalists from the ECB’s Governing Council, which is then expected to announce its final decision “towards the end of the year,” according to sources in Frankfurt.
Following the public consultation to select the designs to be featured, voting is now underway to decide what to put in our wallets. The presentation of the designs that have reached the final stage is the culmination of a process that has seen over 1,200 entries submitted by graphic designers, all keen to design the next set of banknotes – the first “new” set since the introduction of the single currency in 2002. Only 25 designers, selected from the more than 1,200, were asked to develop design proposals on one or both of the chosen themes.
Getting a hand on the new euro banknotes will require patience. The timetable is as follows: final decision on the designs by the end of 2026, followed by further development and pre-production testing. It will only be “in the years that follow” that the new euro notes will be available, circulating alongside the current series in circulation. In any case, the ECB assures us that the new banknotes will feature enhanced security features to make them easier to recognise and access, including for people with visual impairments.
In producing the future banknotes, the ECB also aims to reduce their environmental footprint both before and after they are put into circulation, through the use of more sustainable materials and production processes, and banknotes that are more resistant to wear and tear.
“Euro banknotes are more than a means of payment – they are one of the most tangible expressions of Europe“, said the President of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, who is convinced that by combining “beauty and meaning, they will reinforce our shared identity.”
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
