- Designers from across Europe invited to apply, starting 15 July 2025
- Application platform open until 18 August 2025
- Governing Council's decision on final design expected by end of 2026 following a public survey
The European Central Bank (ECB) today launched a public contest for the design of future euro banknotes - the next step in the euro banknote redesign process. The ECB's Governing Council has already selected two possible themes for the future euro banknotes after consulting experts and the public. These are: "European culture", focusing on shared cultural spaces and important Europeans; and "Rivers and birds", focusing on the resilience and diversity of Europe's natural ecosystems. In January the Governing Council also selected motifs to illustrate the two possible themes.
The design contest, which is open to graphic designers residing in the European Union, aims to identify the best design proposals for the future euro banknotes. The contest will proceed in two phases: an application phase and a design proposal phase. During the application phase, designers must meet the specific requirements listed in the contest notice. The applicants will be assessed on the basis of their qualifications and achievements.
Selected designers will be invited to participate in the second phase and submit their design proposals. A group of independent experts - the Design Contest Jury - will evaluate the proposals and select up to five per theme.
