Posti has won the 2026 EUROPA stamp design competition, which had the theme "United in..." The winning stamp was designed by Klaus Welp. The winning stamp will be issued across Europe next year.
EUROPA stamps have been issued since 1956, so next year marks the 70th anniversary of the stamps. The release of the stamps is coordinated by PostEurop, an association of European postal operators. Today, it comprises 53 postal organizations from Europe.
Visual artist Klaus Welp is thrilled about the success and the fact that the winning stamp will be issued across Europe.
“In today’s turbulent world, there is an increasing need for peace, unity, and a strong community spirit. A well-functioning national postal service is a fundamental pillar for democracies, providing security for citizens. It was an honour to participate in this design competition and celebrate the 70th anniversary of PostEurop with this stamp. It gratifying to know that this stamp will be printed and published in so many European countries,” says Klaus Welp.
The design of the 2026 EUROPA Stamp combines abstract and symbolic elements. The seven dots, connected by a straight line, symbolize seventy years of unified effort by postal operators across the continent. The background reflects a joyful mix of colors from the European flag, symbolizing the unity of all member nations.
“I explored several visual concepts for the stamp. Together with Tommi Kantola, Design Manager at Posti, we refined one of these concepts into the final, winning proposal. With more than two decades of collaboration and over 120 stamp projects, our teamwork once again resulted in a successful outcome.”
Tommi Kantola considers the victory highly significant.
"This design competition victory is historic because now all 53 European postal administrations will publish the winning design with their own country identifiers," Kantola rejoices.
What makes the victory particularly significant is that the voting was based solely on the images, without any information about which country each design represented. European postal organizations voted for the winner from among 15 proposals.
"The symbolism of the design has been understood and resonated with voters all the way to victory. The win also reflects the appreciation and high standard of Finnish graphic design," Kantola says.
Next year’s EUROPA stamp will be released exceptionally through this design competition. In most years, European postal organizations issue a stamp based on a jointly decided theme. Each country then releases a themed stamp in its own preferred way, and a competition is held between them. Stamps published by Posti have won the Europe-wide vote several times in recent years.
Stamps released under the same theme highlight the shared European roots, culture, and history of different countries while also showcasing their national differences.
More information:
Images: Posti DigiLibrary - PostEurop 2026
Klaus Welp web page: Welp.fi