Hey. I know, a bit special interest and maybe not the right place for this but i was thinking about animated characters from europe as part of its cultural DNA and then startet to research them for all the countries including where to buy merch (to also support that industry). I will hopefully be able to comlete the list over time but i would be happy about help and feedback. So here is what i got so far:
European animation characters (sometimes with merch) in no particular order:
Finland - Moomins, Angry Birds adaptations: https://shop.moomin.com/collections/all
France - Asterix, TinTin, edit: + les Shadoks, OuiOui, Barbapapas, Yugo https://boutique.asterix.com/de/ https://thetintinshop.uk.com/
Belgium - lucky luke, edit: also TinTin, Spirou & Fantasio, The Smurfs, Marsupilami
Poland - Lolek and Bolek, edit: +Reksio, Koziołek matołek, Plastuś, Miś uszatek
Netherlands - Alfred j. Kwak, nijntje, edit: + Miffy: https://www.dewinkelvannijntje.nl/en/
Czech republic - krtek, edit: + Pat and Mat, Rumcajs: https://czechmovie.com/collections/little-mole-krtek?page=2 https://www.czech-stuff.com/krtek-little-mole/
Spain - Mortadelo and Filemón, Superlópez, Pocoyó, The Telerín Family
Switzerland - globi, pingu, edit: + Titeuf: https://globi.ch/ https://www.pingu-store.jp/ (can't find a european one)
Portugal - tic tac tales
Italy - calimero, edit: + Corto Maltese, mio mao, La Linea, The Seagul and the Cat/Lucky and Zorbq (La Gabbianella e il Cato), Dylan Dog
Greece - Pandora and Plato
Sweden - Bamse, petterson and findus, the little ghost laban, editv + Lippi Longstocking, Arne Anka
Norway - Elias the little rescue boat, Ella Bella Bingo
Iceland - some lazy town characters
Denmark - Rita & Crocodile, Valiant Prince Ivandoe, edit: + The Child Who Wanted to Be a Bear (Drengen der ville gøre det umulige), John Dillermand
Germany - the mouse, bernd the bread, cptn. Blaubär, edit: + the sandman, Werner, the little Asshole: https://www.logoshirt-shop.de/en/COLLECTION/The-Show-with-the-Mouse/ https://mausundmehr.com/ https://www.spreadshirt.de/shop/bernd+das+brot/
UK - wallace and gromit, paddington bear, danger mouse edit: + postman pat, rupert bear, family ness, bananaman, bob the builder, the hurricanes, thomas the tank engine, captain pugwash, Dennis the Menace (the superior one): https://wallaceandgromitvmf.shop/ https://store.paddington.com/ https://www.truffleshuffle.co.uk/cartoons/dangermouse
Ireland - puffin rock, Kiva can do, edit: + the book of kells, song of the sea, and wolfwalkers
Luxembourg - ?
Malta - ?
Cyprus - ?
Lithuania - ?
Latvia - Flow
Estonia - ?
Slovakia - ?
Slovenia - Medved Bojan
Croatia - Profesor Baltazar, Little Flying Bears (Leteći Medvjedići)
Bulgaria - The Three Fools, The Blue Eyed Moon, The Little Girl, The Cat and the Clock, Anna Blume
Serbia - ?
North macedonia - ?
Montenegro - ?
Bosnia Herzegowina - ?
Albania - Nine Years, Nine Days
Romania - ?
Moldova - The Stairway (Letnistsa)
Austria - ?
Hungary - The rabbit with checkered ears, Frakk, pom pom, Mézga family, Szaffi, King Matthias, Magyar Népmesék, Ludas Matyi
Also nice read: animationineurope.eu
I know France already has a lot, but maybe Yugo from Wakfu, just to also have something a bit more recent ?
For Italy, there's also La Linea , a good old classic. Also, La Gabbianella e il Cato ("The Seagul and the Cat", or "Lucky and Zorba" in tbe English version) was a great Italian animated movie.
Then there's also "L'enfant qui Voulait Être in Ours"/"Drengen der ville gøre det umulige", a great Franco-Danish animated movie. But as a French, I think we can let the Dans take this w, we already have a lot. It wasn't distributed in any country but these two as far as I know, but in English the name would be " The Child Who Wanted to Be a Bear".
[Edit: I remembered I had a book about the history of animation somewhere and figured it might have something to fill the blanks. Bulgaria had a few influenial animation artists like Donio Donev with "The Three Fools" PenchoKoutchnevv witg "The Blue Eyed Moon" and "The Little Girl, The Cat and the Clock".Vesselaa Dancheva with " Anna Blume" Moldovahads Natalia Bodiul with "Letnistsa" ("The Stairway")
Belarus had "Posledny" ("The Last") by Alexandre Cheoetov
Albania had "Nine Years, Nine Days" by Artur Dauti. I haven't seen any of these movies yet tho, I might whenever I get the time. ]
Awesome. Thanks so much for the input.