Euro Banknotes to Get a New Look: Competition Deadline Set and Faces That Could Appear on Future Currency.

European Central Bank's Roadmap for Redesign

According to Novyny.live: The European Central Bank has confirmed plans to wrap up its competition for new euro banknote designs by June 2026. A final decision on the updated look is expected before the start of 2027. This initiative aims to refresh the visual identity of the euro, which serves as the official currency across numerous European Union member states.

Themes for the New Banknote Series

The redesign will focus on two core themes: 'European Culture' and 'Rivers and Birds.' Under the first theme, proposals include featuring notable cultural figures on specific denominations:

• The 5-euro note could showcase opera singer Maria Callas;
• A portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven might appear on the 10-euro bill;
• Marie Curie is slated for the 20-euro note;
• The 50-euro bill could display Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra;
• Leonardo da Vinci's portrait is a candidate for the 100-euro note;
• Bertha von Suttner may be featured on the 200-euro bill.

The 'Rivers and Birds' theme takes a natural approach, with potential imagery including:

• the wallcreeper,
• the kingfisher,
• bee-eaters,
• the white stork,
• the pied avocet, and
• the Atlantic salmon.

This direction highlights the continent's natural wealth and environmental values.

New euro banknotes could enter circulation toward the end of the current decade. As part of preparations for their rollout, the European Central Bank continues refining designs that showcase Europe's cultural and natural heritage.

This move reflects the European Central Bank's ambition not only to modernize the aesthetic of its banknotes but also to emphasize Europe's cultural and natural legacy.

European Central Bank

The redesign may also reshape how the euro is perceived as a currency, enriching its symbolic meaning and connection to European identity. Introducing new notes into circulation will mark a significant milestone in the euro's evolution as the European Union's primary currency.