Spanish science will have a key voice in the future of euro banknotes. Juan Lupiáñez, director of the Cognitive Neuroscience Group at the Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC) and professor of Experimental Psychology at the University of Granada, has been selected as a jury member of the European Central Bank (ECB) contest for the redesign of future euro banknotes.
The researcher Juan Lupiáñez will be one of the two European neuroscientists on the panel of 20 independent experts who will participate in selecting the best designs for the new euro banknotes. This multidisciplinary jury, comprising experts from diverse fields, spans history and art history, graphic and industrial design, architecture, archaeology, communication, psychology and neuroscience. Its role will be to evaluate the design proposals and advise the Governing Council of the ECB on the final selection.
The redesign of the euro, a process of science and creativity
Since 2021, the European Central Bank has been working on a process to modernize the euro banknotes, making them more sustainable, inclusive, and accessible to the public. This process involves evaluating various factors related to their security, environmental footprint, and accessibility for the population, including those with visual impairments.
In this context, research in psychology and neuroscience is fundamental in the design process. “Some of the evaluation criteria for the new designs for euro banknotes will be how easy it is to distinguish one banknote from another, or how easy it is to perceive the value of the banknote either when we see it in its entirety, or a part of it (such as when it is folded in the wallet). It should also be easy to distinguish new banknotes from sophisticated copies,” explains Juan Lupiañez. The psychology and neuroscience of perception and memory have a significant contribution to make to this evaluation, which is reflected in the presence of experts in these areas among the jury members.
“Another important aspect to be taken into account in the design of the new banknotes is that they should be inclusive, that in addition to being beautiful and adequately representing the values of the European Union, they should be easy to handle for people with disabilities. In this area, the role of psychology is also key,” says the researcher.
After consulting experts and the general public, the ECB’s Governing Council shortlisted two main themes for the future designs: “European culture” and “Rivers and birds of Europe”. The new banknotes will have one of these two themes.
The European culture theme seeks to reflect the richness of Europe’s cultural heritage and the dynamism of its creative sectors. For this theme, depictions of famous figures such as Maria Callas, Ludwig van Beethoven, Marie Curie, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, Leonardo da Vinci or Bertha von Suttner have been included. Also selected were elements to highlight, such as street art, music festivals, universities, libraries and the squares and public meeting places that are so representative of European cities.
On the other hand, the rivers and birds theme seeks to highlight the fact that rivers and birds do not recognize borders. Therefore, this theme for the new banknotes symbolizes the freedom and unity of the European population and its connection to nature and the diversity of Europe’s natural ecosystems. The designs will follow a logical sequence, from the headwaters of the river on the 5-euro banknote to the mouth of the river in the 200-euro banknote, passing through other elements such as springs, waterfalls, river valleys and meandering rivers. They will be accompanied by emblematic birds such as wallcreepers, kingfishers, bee-eaters, white storks, avocets and gannets.
Contest phases
The ECB opened a call for applications on July 15, which will close on August 18, 2025, for graphic designers residing in the European Union to submit their qualifications and achievements. Subsequently, the ECB will select a maximum of 40 designers (20 for each theme), who will participate in the design proposal phase.
The jury will evaluate the proposals and choose a maximum of three to five designs for each theme. Finally, the Governing Council will be responsible for making the final decision, taking into account the jury’s evaluations and a new popular consultation. All those interested in participating and finding out more details can consult the complete competition rules on the ECB website.
For further information:
https://www.ecb.europa.eu/home/html/index.en.html
Contact
Juan Lupiañez - jlupiane@ugr.es