The European Central Bank (ECB) launched a public design competition on Tuesday to come up with ideas for future euro banknotes and invited designers from across the European Union to take part.
The ECB's Governing Council has selected two possible themes for the future banknotes: ‘European culture,’ focusing on common cultural spaces and prominent European personalities, and ‘Rivers and birds,’ focusing on the strength and diversity of Europe's natural ecosystems.
In January, the Governing Council also selected designs to illustrate the two possible themes.
The competition, which is open to graphic designers residing in the EU, will take place in two phases: an application phase and a project proposal phase. Candidates will first be assessed on the basis of their qualifications and achievements. The selected graphic designers will then be invited to participate in the second phase and submit their graphic design projects. A group of independent experts forming the competition jury will evaluate the proposals and select up to five per theme.
Once the competition is over, the public will be invited to give their opinion on the selected designs. The Governing Council is expected to choose the final design by the end of 2026. The new banknotes will be put into circulation following a production process that will take several years.
"The euro is more than a currency; it symbolises European unity and diversity," said ECB President Christine Lagarde. "By organising this competition, we are inviting graphic designers from across Europe to design our future banknotes in a way that reflects our shared cultural identity and natural heritage."
Graphic designers wishing to participate in the competition are invited to submit their applications by 18 August 2025.
