ECB launches new €20 note with anti-counterfeit window

A new €20 note has been unveiled in the EU, featuring a 'portrait window' feature designed to boost counterfeit protection.

The window (pictured) - set within the hologram - is "a real innovation in banknote technology," according to Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank. "It is the outcome of the Eurosystem's work to ensure that the euro notes continue to be resilient against counterfeiting."

When the banknote is held against the light, the window becomes transparent and reveals a portrait of the mythological figure Europa, visible on both sides of the note.

The new €20 notes will enter into circulation on 25 November this year. By the date of the launch, the Eurosystem will have printed more than 4.3bn of them, reflecting the fact that €20 is one of the most frequently used denominations across the euro area.

"To further support the producers and owners of banknote handling machines and authentication devices, the Eurosystem is putting in place a number of measures," said Draghi.

"One major step is to make new €20 banknotes available for testing purposes - as was done with the new €10 - more than nine months ahead of the launch."

The ECB and the national central banks will also conduct an information campaign addressing everyone who handles banknotes so that they will be able to recognise the new note and its security features.