European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018

PURPOSE: to designate 2018 as the European Year of Cultural Heritage.

LEGISLATIVE ACT:  Decision (EU) 2017/864 of the European Parliament and of the Council on a European Year of Cultural Heritage (2018).

CONTENT: this Decision designates 2018 as the ‘European Year of Cultural Heritage’ (‘European Year’). Its purpose shall be to: (i) encourage the sharing and appreciation of Europe's cultural heritage as a shared resource; (ii) raise awareness of common history and values, and to reinforce a sense of belonging to a common European space.

The year 2018 has a symbolic and historical importance for Europe and its cultural heritage, as it marks a number of significant events such as the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I and of the independence of several Member States as well as the 400th anniversary of the start of the Thirty Years' War.

In its resolution of 8 September 2015, the European Parliament recommended designating, preferably for 2018, a European Year of Cultural Heritage.

Objectives: the European Year shall encourage and support the efforts of the Union, the Member States and regional and local authorities, in cooperation with the cultural heritage sector and broader civil society, to protect, safeguard, reuse, enhance, valorise and promote Europe's cultural heritage.

The main specific objectives of the European Year shall be to:

• encourage approaches to cultural heritage that are people-centred, inclusive, forward-looking, more integrated, sustainable and cross-sectoral;
• promote debate, research and the exchange of good practices on the quality of conservation, safeguarding, innovative reuse and enhancement of cultural heritage, and on contemporary interventions in the historical environment;
• promote solutions which make cultural heritage accessible to all, including via digital means, by removing social, cultural and physical barriers, taking into account people with special needs;
• encourage synergies between cultural heritage and environment policies by integrating cultural heritage into environmental, architectural and planning policies, and by promoting energy-efficiency;
• encourage regional and local development strategies that tap into the potential of cultural heritage, including through the promotion of sustainable tourism;
• highlight the potential of cooperation in matters of cultural heritage for developing stronger ties within the Union and with countries outside the Union and for encouraging intercultural dialogue, post-conflict reconciliation and conflict prevention;
• strengthen initiatives to prevent the illicit trafficking of cultural goods.

The measures to be taken to achieve the objectives set out above shall include, inter alia, information, exhibitions, as well as the promotion of projects and networks connected to the European Year, including via the media and social networks.

Coordination at Member State level: the organisation of participation in the European Year at national level is a responsibility of the Member States. The national coordinators shall ensure the coordination of relevant activities at national level.

The Commission shall regularly convene meetings of the national coordinators in which the European Parliament may participate in those meetings as observers.

Stakeholders and representatives of organisations or bodies active in the field of cultural heritage, including existing transnational cultural networks and relevant NGOs, as well as of youth organisations, shall assist it in implementing the European Year at Union level.

Financing: co-financing at Union level of activities implementing the European Year shall be in accordance with the rules applicable to existing programmes, such as the Creative Europe Programme, and within the existing possibilities for setting priorities on an annual or multiannual basis.

The European Year shall have a specific financial envelope of EUR 8 million for the period from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2018.

ENTRY INTO FORCE: 9.6.2017.