The European Central Bank has opened a public online vote on ten proposed euro banknote designs, with voting running through September and a decision by the ECB Council expected by year-end.

Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel urges broad participation to ensure the new notes reflect Europe’s diversity.

The new euro notes aim to be more accessible for people with visual impairments and to reduce the environmental footprint of production, while updating from the 2002 first generation and 2019-2020 improvements.

There is debate over moving away from the current abstract, neutrality-focused motifs toward designs that could evoke national pride or rivalries.

The current design theme, Ages and styles, uses architectural motifs like windows, doorways, and bridges across Europe’s history.

designers intend to reflect Europe’s cultural heritage and natural environment while maintaining shared European values.

Existing euro notes use relatively neutral motifs, in contrast to earlier real-building designs, signaling a shift toward thematic representations.

This article will be updated as more information becomes available.

Critics worry that featuring real people, places, and institutions could reintroduce national rivalries, a concern raised by designer Robert Kalina who favored neutrality.

Doris Schneeberger, leading the design development, says the process moves from sketch to a built, stable concept that should reflect truly European personalities and identity.

The current designs from 2002 use non-real buildings and bridges on cotton-based notes; the new designs will keep the same colors and material.

Security features are being enhanced to deter counterfeiting, with ongoing work since 2021 and a focus on extending note longevity and accessibility for the visually impaired.