FRANKFURT, Jan. 13 -- The European Central Bank (ECB) on Monday unveiled new 10-euro banknotes which will enter into circulation on Sept. 23 this year.

An ECB statement said that the new note is more durable and resistant to counterfeiting than its predecessor issued in 2002.

As the single currency for a total of 18 countries in the euro area, the euro is now used by 334 million people.

"The single currency has helped to bring millions of Europeans together, in all our diversity, and the banknotes and coins are a tangible symbol of our determination to support the European Union," said ECB executive board member Yves Mersch.

The ECB is putting new banknotes into circulation with an aim to "stay ahead of counterfeiters," he added.

In another statement, the ECB disclosed that a total of 353,000 counterfeit euro banknotes were withdrawn from circulation in the second half of 2013.

"This figure is very small considering that there are over 15 billion genuine banknotes in circulation at any one time," said the statement.