Support for the implementation of the European Heritage Label

Expected Impact

This call will fund one project proposed by a single organisation or a consortium of organisations working to achieve the objectives, themes and priorities of this action. It is expected the project will bring about the Network of sites formally constituted and able to take forward the results achieved, and the project activities implemented so far.

By ensuring that most resources are allocated directly to site-level and community-wide actions, supported by multilingualism schemes and cross-border collaborations, the project will deliver strong European added value, equitable participation across Member States, and optimal cost-effectiveness of EU investment.

Objective

The European Heritage Label (henceforth “EHL”) is one of the most valuable EU initiatives to strengthen European citizens’ sense of belonging to the EU. It is a symbolic action established by the European Union to recognise and celebrate Europe’s shared cultural heritage.

Initiated as an intergovernmental initiative and geared up at European Union level in 2011 (Decision No. 1194/2011/EU), the EHL aims to strengthen the sense of belonging among European Union citizens by highlighting and promoting the heritage sites that have played a significant role in the history, culture, and integration of Europe. The EHL is an action focusing on cultural landmarks, that hold a particular significance to the identity of the European Union and intends to further promote their European dimension and foster a greater appreciation for the shared values and history of Europe. In this context, the action plays an essential role in unifying citizens from diverse national backgrounds and enhancing their sense of connection to the European project.

Until 2025, a total of 67 sites and 275 locations across 22 EU Member States have been awarded the European Heritage Label, encompassing a diverse range of locations that embody the rich cultural tapestry of the continent. As the number of EHL sites continues to grow, it is essential to centralise the development and exchange of joint practices and activities among them, as well as to formalise and enhance the visibility of the Action both at the local and international levels. The creation of a network of EHL sites, coordinated by a centralised secretariat was a logical next step in the development of the action. This network began with the EHL@Network initiative (2019 - 2022) and evolved into the EHL Bureau (2023-2026) with activities revolving around upskilling, networking, visibility and financing.

The EHL Bureau has been instrumental in fostering collaboration among labelled sites, organising upskilling and learning opportunities through regional seminars and workshops and facilitating networking activities during events like the EHL Awards Ceremonies and EHL Days.

The EHL Bureau was equally essential in enhancing the overall visibility of the action, creating a cohesive identity for EHL sites and transforming them into an interconnected community of practices.

Finally, the EHL Bureau was instrumental in facilitating numerous collaborative initiatives, financing annual cross-borders projects closely aligned on the sites’ needs and the promotion of shared European values.

Objectives

The general objective of the call is to continue to support the European Heritage Label network of sites, fostering training, exchanges, collaboration and opportunities among the EHL Stakeholders.

This call will support a single organisation or a consortium of organisations, with a special focus on cultural heritage and capacity building, which are active in the creative and cultural sectors or running capacity-building and promotional work. The selected project is meant to act as a secretariat for the EHL Network. It will be key to accompany the work of the EHL sites and stakeholders and in ensuring the sustainability of the European Heritage Label, as specified below.

The Network, through its secretariat, will support the range of EHL sites and stakeholders and their synergies with bodies active in the field of heritage, cultural and creative sectors together with educational sectors. A strong emphasis will be placed on directing resources towards community-wide actions and site-level projects, in order to generate tangible benefits for citizens while ensuring an efficient and impactful use of funds.

It will target the following stakeholders in the EHL initiative:

EHL Sites

67 Heritage sites representing 275+ locations have been awarded the label until 2025. In 2026 this number is likely to evolve following the results of the 2025 selection. The selected sites encompass a great variety of cultural heritage as defined in the EHL Decision. Together the selected sites offer a complete geographical and temporal coverage of European territory and history.

Rooted in diverse management models, and having benefited from different funding sources, EHL sites would benefit from further integration and support for carrying out European cross-borders projects, impactful public relations and promotional activities and audience-development programmes with a European dimension. This development includes their transition towards integrated digital means and environmental sustainability and social inclusion.

EHL National Coordinators

The success of the initiative relies on the integration of the EHL national coordinators and their teams into the EHL community of practices through:

• the promotion of the label at national level,
• the support and pre-selection of applications, and
• the regular support and monitoring of the EHL sites located in their territory.

In 2025 a total of 26 EHL national coordinators, representing EU Member States’ national administrations, have undertaken these functions. Although their needs may differ, and each of them serves as a key expert in heritage safeguarding and promotion in their respective country, equipping them with additional skills to improve their activities at European level will benefit the growth and outreach of the EHL.

The entity implementing the action should facilitate a dialogue with the EHL National Coordinators, supporting regular information exchange and activities.

Scope

Themes and priorities (scope)

The action will aim at strengthening of the EHL members around a Community of practice for the years 2026-2029 which imply strengthening the presence of the EHL action, the impact of its activities and the development of a shared vision among its members:

Increase the presence and understanding of the EHL Action:

• Externally: • Strengthen the visibility of the EHL Action across participating countries and among targeted audiences through targeted outreach, media engagement, and high-level communication campaigns.
• Organise events such as workshops, stakeholder assemblies, and bi-annual award ceremonies to reinforce the profile of EHL sites nationally and internationally.
• Pay particular attention to raising the visibility of rural and smaller sites, especially towards specialised press and cultural heritage professionals, ensuring broad and balanced recognition.

• Internally: • Promote a coherent shared narrative and a unified visual identity across all EHL sites to highlight European values and ensure consistency in communication.
• Develop and provide common tools and platforms that facilitate internal communication, joint outreach, and collaborative initiatives, reinforcing the sense of belonging to a collective European action.
• Introduce a dedicated multilingualism support mechanism (“Translation Bank”), coordinated by the Secretariat, to help sites translate and share key materials in all EU languages, reducing duplication of costs and ensuring accessibility for all audiences

Capacity Building for EHL Stakeholders:

• Learning & Upskilling • Enhance EHL stakeholders’ skills in European project coordination through dedicated training programmes and tailored advice on EU funding opportunities.
• Support EHL sites in designing and implementing activities that reflect their European significance and specific contributions to European history and cultural heritage.
• Develop a targeted support scheme to guide candidate sites in addressing these requirements effectively.

• Networking & Financing • Provide financial support to EHL sites for the implementation of their Action Plans, ensuring alignment with the EHL’s cross-cutting priorities: promoting EU values and shared European history, engaging youth and fostering intergenerational dialogue, advancing sustainable tourism in close cooperation with local communities, and strengthening multilingualism. This should be implemented through financial support to third parties (cascading grants).
• Strengthen cooperation within the Network by enabling EHL sites to collaborate with one another in the development and submission of joint projects, fostering exchanges and collective initiatives at both regional and transnational levels. These collaborations should be designed to have a multiplier effect, ensuring broad visibility and optimal use of EU funds. This should be implemented through financial support to third parties (cascading grants).
• Support smaller sites and ensuring equity: there is an imbalance between larger and smaller sites, particularly in rural areas, which often faced financial and administrative challenges. Capacity-building programmes and mentorship schemes to support smaller sites, helping them improve their operations and visibility is needed, alongside targeted efforts to ensure that all EU Member States, especially those with fewer resources, can participate fully or engage in international projects.
• The project budget should prioritise investment in site-level and regional actions, thereby maximising visibility and impact on the ground, while maintaining an appropriate balance with coordination and administrative needs

Foster collaboration among European heritage players:

• Build synergies with other European cultural heritage initiatives by aligning activities with major EU programmes such as the European Heritage Days, the European Heritage Awards, and the European Heritage Hub, ensuring complementarity and greater visibility.
• Contribute actively to Europe-wide cultural heritage events and actions by promoting intercultural dialogue and positioning EHL sites as ambassadors of European identity and values, ensuring that their activities reinforce shared European objectives. In this role, the EHL Network can act as a catalyst, complementing and amplifying other EU initiatives, while ensuring that resources invested contribute to greater visibility, accessibility (through multilingualism), and long-term sustainability.
• Where relevant, collaboration should also extend to other initiatives such as the European Capitals of Culture, the European Authors’ Day, and the European Youth Week, among others, ensuring complementarity, visibility, and optimal use of EU resources.
• In synergy with the European Commission’s DiscoverEU initiative, the project should explore the development of a cooperation scheme between the EHL Network and DiscoverEU beneficiaries. This could allow European Heritage Label sites to be featured within the DiscoverEU and European Youth Card (EYCA) networks, encouraging young travellers to discover EHL sites and deepening their sense of belonging to Europe through direct encounters with its shared heritage.
• Furthermore, the action will incentivise collaboration with entities actively developing or deploying artificial intelligence tools for cultural heritage. By leveraging trustworthy, conversational AI systems, EHL stakeholders will be encouraged to transform artworks, narratives, and products into engaging, interactive experiences that bring European heritage to life and expand access to diverse audiences.