New euro notes to be issued in France - here is what they will look like

Euro banknotes are set to be redesigned for the first time in over a decade, with a new series potentially featuring Beethoven, Marie Curie and da Vinci expected to enter circulation by 2028, the European Central Bank (ECB) has announced.

ECB president Christine Lagarde confirmed the plans during a television interview on France 2 on Friday, June 6.

“We want to slightly change the vision of the euro so that everyone can see themselves in it,” said Ms Lagarde.

The project is still in its design phase, but the ECB has already selected two competing themes from seven possibilities following an online consultation in 2023 involving more than 360,000 European citizens.

The original euro banknotes entered circulation in 2002 when countries in the Eurozone switched currencies. 

Those notes were replaced with the current notes of the ‘Europa’ series, which entered circulation in 2013.

Nonetheless, the older notes remain legal tender.

Two potential themes 

The first theme for the new notes, “European culture: a shared heritage”, will highlight historical figures who contributed to Europe’s cultural legacy. 

Proposed portraits include opera singer Maria Callas (€5), composer Ludwig van Beethoven (€10), scientist Marie Curie (€20), author Miguel de Cervantes (€50), polymath Leonardo da Vinci (€100), and peace activist Bertha von Suttner (€200).

The second theme, “Rivers and birds: strength and diversity”, focuses on Europe’s natural environment. 

Early visual concepts include a mountain spring and a songbird (€5), a waterfall with a kingfisher (€10), a river gorge and a colony of bee-eaters (€20), a winding river and a white stork (€50), an estuary with an avocet (€100), and a marine seascape with a gannet (€200).

Each note would feature a double-sided design - a symbol on the front and an associated scene or EU institution on the back. 

For example, a Beethoven €10 note may be paired with a music festival choir, while the nature-themed version could show a kingfisher with a backdrop of a waterfall and a sketch of the European Commission.

Read more: Can shops in France refuse to take payments in cash?

Decision in 2026

A design competition open to graphic artists from across the EU will launch later this year.

The final design proposals will be presented to the public in 2026 as part of a second consultation before the ECB Governing Council makes a final decision.

The new notes will also feature enhanced security measures to prevent counterfeiting, although the ECB has not yet disclosed specific details.

The first new notes should appear “in two or three years”, Ms Lagarde said, adding that the end of physical cash is not something the ECB envisages. 

Production will take place in secure printing sites across Europe before the notes are then handed to each country’s national bank for distribution.