The European Central Bank (ECB) announced on Thursday that nearly 10 million people, precisely 9.96 million, participated in its public survey on the future design of euro banknotes.
This strong engagement, representing 2.6% of the eurozone population, reflects Europeans’ keen interest in their future banknotes, emphasized ECB President Christine Lagarde. Participation was notable across all eurozone countries and age groups, with two-thirds of responses coming from individuals under 35 years old.
The survey, conducted from July 23 to September 21, 2026, focused on ten design proposals based on the themes “European culture” and “rivers and birds.” Concurrently, another independent survey targeting a representative sample is being finalized.
The results of both surveys, along with recommendations from an independent jury and a technical evaluation, will guide the ECB Governing Council’s final decision, expected by the end of 2026. The ECB has not yet published detailed results of the proposals.
Following this decision, the selected design will be adapted to become the new banknotes, incorporating improvements in security, accessibility, and sustainability. These banknotes are expected to be gradually introduced in the early 2030s, coexisting with the currently valid notes.