More than 9 million people have chosen their preferred design for the new euro banknotes, the European Central Bank said on Monday, a week before the public vote closes.
According to ECB executive board member Piero Cipollone, the vote is “one of the most successful European public consultations ever”. Speaking in Brussels, he said euro banknotes unite people across Europe and that many citizens want a say in their future.
In mid-July, the ECB presented ten possible new designs to the public. They are grouped under two themes: European culture, and rivers and birds.
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The images for each denomination have already been outlined within those themes. Under European culture, for example, composer Ludwig van Beethoven would appear on the €10 note. Under rivers and birds, the same note would feature either a kingfisher or a river pool.
It is the first complete redesign of the euro banknotes since they were introduced in 2002. The ECB has previously said the new notes will include new and improved security features.
Voting remains open until next Monday. The result will help ECB governors make a final decision by the end of this year.
The newly chosen designs are expected to enter circulation in the following years. More than 31 billion euro banknotes are currently in use, with a total value of more than €1.6 trillion.
