site.btaOver 8 Mln People Take Part in Choosing Future Euro Banknote Design, ECB Official Says

More than eight million people have taken part in a public consultation on the future design of euro banknotes, said Doris Schneeberger, Director of the Banknotes Directorate at the European Central Bank (ECB) in an interview with BTA. Bulgarian citizens can actively participate in shaping the future appearance of the banknotes as citizens of the euro area's 21st member, she said.

According to Schneeberger, participation gives Europeans an opportunity to help shape one of the most tangible symbols of Europe. The ECB does not yet have a final breakdown of participation by country because the consultation is still ongoing.

Interest in the consultation has increased significantly in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, the ECB reported more than six million participants, while more than eight million questionnaires have now been completed. This shows that euro banknotes remain important to citizens and that people want to have a say in their future design, Schneeberger said.

The ECB is preparing the first comprehensive redesign of euro banknotes since they were introduced more than 20 years ago. The aim is to make the notes more closely connected to Europeans while improving their security, durability and accessibility.

Unlike the current series, which features stylized architectural images, the new banknotes could depict real people, buildings, birds and natural motifs. Two themes have reached the final stage of the process: "European Culture" and "Rivers and Birds". They were selected following recommendations by an independent expert group and a public consultation in 2023, which attracted more than 365,000 participants.

In selecting the final design, the ECB Governing Council will take into account the results of the public consultations, the assessment by the design competition jury and the technical requirements for the future banknotes. A decision is expected towards the end of 2026, Schneeberger said.

The new series will feature advanced security elements designed to make counterfeiting more difficult and authentication easier. The ECB also plans additional improvements for people with visual impairments, including more distinctive colours, different banknote sizes and tactile markings, as well as, for the first time, markings resembling Braille.

Work is also underway to extend the lifespan of banknotes, which should reduce both their environmental impact and the costs associated with replacing them.

The redesign is being carried out alongside preparations for the digital euro. However, the ECB does not expect cash to decline to the point where it becomes secondary. According to Schneeberger, access to cash remains important for financial inclusion, privacy and the resilience of the payment system, particularly during crises or temporary disruptions to digital payments.

Once the final design is selected, the technical adaptation, integration of security features, production preparations and testing will begin. As a result, it will take several years before the first banknotes of the new series reach the public. They will be introduced gradually, as was the case with the Europa series, the ECB's Director of the Banknotes Directorate said.

Following is the full text of the interview:

Over six million people have already participated in the public consultation. Is this level of engagement higher than the ECB expected and what does it suggest about Europeans' relationship with cash?

Participation in the consultation has been very strong, with currently over eight million completed surveys. This high level of engagement is very encouraging, showing that euro banknotes matter to people and that citizens care about having a say in their future design.

How many responses came from Bulgaria? 

At this stage, with the survey still lasting more than a month, it is too early to provide a detailed breakdown by country, including Bulgaria. We encourage as many citizens as possible, in Bulgaria and all other euro area member states, to take this opportunity to voice their preferences.

Bulgaria has become the 21st member of the euro area. How important is it for Bulgarian citizens to participate in this public consultation?

The public consultation is an important opportunity for Bulgarian citizens as well to actively contribute to the future design of euro banknotes, ensuring they reflect the values and preferences of all Europeans, including those from Bulgaria.

What message would you like to send to Bulgarian citizens who may still associate the euro mainly with economic and monetary policy rather than with a shared European identity?

The euro banknotes are a powerful symbol of unity and shared European identity that connects us every day. By participating, Bulgarian citizens can help shape one of the most tangible representations of Europe. As such, this is now the opportunity for Bulgarians to help shaping a currency that is a daily reminder of the cooperation and unity that underpin the euro area.

Why was it now considered the right moment for the first comprehensive redesign of euro banknotes since they were introduced more than 20 years ago?

The redesign is part of the ECB's commitment to keep euro banknotes secure, attractive and accessible. After more than 20 years, it is time to refresh the designs to better connect with Europeans, improve on its sustainability and incorporate updated security features to stay ahead of counterfeiting threats. This process ensures the euro continues to be a trusted means of payment and a meaningful symbol for people across the euro area and beyond.

The current euro banknotes deliberately avoid depicting real places or historical figures. What has changed in the ECB's thinking to make it open to more symbolic and culturally expressive designs?

The change in the ECB's thinking originates from an effort to make euro banknotes more relatable and culturally expressive. Up until now, euro banknotes have depicted abstract monuments that symbolically represent Europe's shared cultural heritage but do not actually exist. However, themes and motifs for the new designs are now being selected with input from experts and feedback from focus groups and public surveys, reflecting a more inclusive and participatory process. 

This shift creates an opportunity to feature real people, real birds and real buildings, making the banknotes more meaningful and relatable to the citizens of Europe while still showcasing the continent's rich cultural and natural heritage.

The shortlisted themes are 'European culture' and 'Rivers and Birds'. Why were these ultimately preferred over more explicitly political or historical concepts?

The themes 'European Culture' and 'Rivers and Birds' were chosen following recommendations by an independent expert group and a public consultation in summer 2023, in which over 365,000 Europeans provided their feedback. At the end of 2023, the Governing Council of the European Central Bank decided to proceed with these two themes due to their broad appeal across all euro area countries and the common thread of connecting Europe and Europeans.

'European Culture’ illustrates Europe's rich cultural heritage and its dynamic cultural and creative sectors strengthen our shared European identity, forging a shared sense of belonging. Culture promotes common values, inclusion and dialogue in Europe and beyond. It brings people together. 

For 'Rivers and birds,' the idea is that the rivers and birds recognize no borders, symbolizing freedom and unity among Europeans and our connection to nature. Europe boasts a wide variety of rivers and birds that inspire us and remind us of our responsibility to protect the environment. 

Euro banknotes are often described as one of the most tangible symbols of European integration. What story do you hope the new series will tell about Europe in the coming decades?

These themes represent our European values, both now and in the future. With our future banknotes featuring one of them, they are a daily reminder of the European project - one which everyone can experience every single day.

How much weight will public preferences carry in the Governing Council's final decision, compared to the recommendations of the expert jury and technical assessments?

The Governing Council's final decision on the new euro banknote designs, expected around the end of 2026, will be based on a consideration of multiple inputs: the public's feedback, the Design Contest Jury report and a technical assessment. 

Public preferences, gathered through two surveys, one via the ECB website and one being a representative survey conducted by a market research company, play a significant role in ensuring the designs resonate with citizens across the euro area, as the euro is the symbol of unity that belongs to everyone.

However, the final decision will also account for the expertise of the jury, which evaluated the artistic and thematic quality of the designs, as well as the results of technical assessments to ensure the banknotes meet the highest standards of security, durability, and usability. This holistic approach ensures that the final designs are meaningful and relatable to the public while also being practical and secure for everyday use. 

Once the designs are selected, technical work will commence to translate the design into actual banknotes.

In a Union that continues to grow and evolve, how can a common banknote design represent the identities of more than 350 million Europeans without favoring individual countries?

The chosen themes and motifs transcend national boundaries and reflect values, heritage and natural elements common to all European citizens. 

'European Culture' focuses on the shared cultural spaces and depicts various cultural activities and spaces, and iconic European personalities who have contributed to building Europe's cultural heritage. Their lives span six centuries, during which they lived, travelled and worked across our continent, and their accomplishments have resonated around the world.

The motifs for 'Rivers and Birds' highlight the resilience in diversity of Europe's natural ecosystems by showcasing different stages of rivers and various bird species, emphasising the importance of nature and environmental protection; also featuring the European institutions that remind us of the fundamental values of the European project.

Beyond aesthetics, what technical innovations should citizens expect from the next generation of euro banknotes? What new anti-counterfeiting technologies are likely to be incorporated into the redesigned banknotes?

The European Central Bank, like all central banks, has a duty to safeguard the integrity and security of its euro banknotes. 

To make sure that euro banknotes remain accessible and inclusive, we develop innovative security features that everyone can easily recognize and trust. To stay ahead of counterfeiters, we continuously work to improve these features and to develop new ones for the future banknotes.

The new series will introduce advanced security features, making the banknotes more difficult to counterfeit and easier to check for everyone.

The ECB has said that the new notes will be more secure, accessible, and environmentally sustainable. Which of these three objectives has proved the most challenging from a design and technological perspective?

During the introduction of the last series, security has likely been the most challenging objective for the ECB. Counterfeiting methods evolve constantly, requiring the integration of advanced or new security features. 

Balancing these innovations with usability and production efficiency adds complexity. Especially as the banknotes with the new features finally need to be handled and authenticated by thousands of machines like vending machines throughout the euro area.

The ECB's ability to innovate in this area while addressing accessibility and sustainability demonstrates its commitment to producing banknotes that meet modern societal needs.

How will the new banknotes improve accessibility for visually impaired people?

The new euro banknotes will build on the experience from the current banknotes by keeping the different sizes of the notes and the tactile marks and will further enhance accessibility for visually impaired individuals for example through more distinct colours, and, for the first time, Braille-like marks. 

These improvements are part of the ECB's commitment to ensuring usability for everyone while also paying special emphasis to vulnerable groups. We actively consult stakeholders, such as the European Blind Union, on a regular basis to incorporate their feedback throughout the redesign process, ensuring the new banknotes meet the needs of visually impaired users and are as inclusive as possible.

Will the redesigned notes also have a longer lifespan, thereby reducing replacement costs for the Eurosystem?

The ECB is conscious of the environmental impact of the euro banknotes and constantly aims to reduce it. We also strive for technologically sustainable solutions that can help reduce the environmental footprint of our euro banknotes and processes. One focus is to increase the lifespan of our new euro banknotes.

By extending the life cycle of banknotes, the Eurosystem can achieve greater cost efficiency while aligning with its commitment to sustainability.

The redesign is taking place alongside preparations for the digital euro. Some observers see the redesign as a symbolic reaffirmation of the role of cash. Do you agree?

The redesign of euro banknotes reaffirms the vital role of cash and the ECB's commitment to it. Cash remains essential for inclusivity, privacy and resilience, especially during crises and as back-up in case digital payments would be temporarily unavailable, for example during a power outage. Cash will continue to play an important role for businesses and citizens alike.

How do you think the role of cash will evolve within the euro area over the next decade?

For the future, the Eurosystem is committed to ensuring public money will be accessible in both forms: As cash and as digital euro, so that Europeans continue to have the freedom of choice of how to pay. 

These efforts are also reflected in the Single Currency Package of the European Commission, which via the Legal Tender of Cash Regulation aims to safeguard the role of euro cash.

Once the Governing Council has selected the winning design later this year, what steps remain before citizens can receive the new banknotes?

Once the Governing Council selects the final design around the end of 2026, the process will move from the design phase towards the technical implementation. The chosen design will undergo technical adaptation through the integration of advanced security features, preparation of production processes and testing, ensuring the banknotes meet the highest standards of durability, usability, and protection against counterfeiting. It will therefore take several years before the first banknotes of the new series reach people’s pockets.

Can Europeans expect all denominations to enter circulation simultaneously, or will the rollout be gradual?

The future euro banknotes will be launched in a staggered approach like for the Europa series, the concrete timing will take into account the feedback from various stakeholders, such as commercial banks, cash-in-transit companies and retailers, as well as the lessons learned from the introduction of the Europa series.