The most important points
- Three out of seven topics were chosen by European citizens
- The new banknotes will be more counterfeit-proof
- Environment and inclusion are among the ECB’s goals
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“European culture”, but also “rivers” and “birds”: these are the themes that European citizens prefer for the new euro banknotes and that the Governing Council has chosen to advance this multi-year project. The decision was announced today, Thursday, November 30th.
The next step on the way to the new banknotes will be between 2024 and 2025 and will put the motifs and designs on the three topics selected today from the original seven in a competition: in 2026 the Council must finally decide what the new banknotes are, which are just that theme of European culture or just that of rivers and birds or both? Citizens of the euro area will be asked again about the reasons and arrangements.
The new banknotes must be put into circulation a few years after 2026, i.e. around 2030.
Banknote polls: record participation
The ECB has so far conducted two surveys among eurozone citizens, achieving record turnout. The online survey, conducted last July and August, received 365,000 responses in the euro area: the theme “Birds: free, resilient, inspiring” was the most popular (34%), followed by European culture (23%) and “Rivers: the Water of Life in Europe” (16%).+
In the previous poll at the beginning of the summer, culture received the most votes (21%), followed by rivers (18%) and birds (17%).