Skip to main content

Culture and Creativity

Published:  11 Aug 2025

67 European Heritage Label sites covered in latest evaluation report

The latest 2018-2024 evaluation highlights how the European Heritage Label strengthened European identity, cultural engagement, and educational outreach across 67 sites.

Scene from the Theatre Toone, Brussels

The evaluation of the European Heritage Label (EHL) is a rigorous assessment of the Label’s effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, EU added value, and relevance.

Highlights

The evaluation highlights significant achievements: over 60% of sites reported increased visitor numbers, alongside stronger community engagement and youth-oriented educational projects.

It also notes enhanced intercultural dialogue and strategic alignment with EU goals, including sustainability, digital innovation, and UNESCO educational standards.

The evaluation showcases some success stories:

  • Cross-border collaboration has flourished, facilitated by the formation of the EHL Bureau and shared initiatives like European Heritage Days  
  • Digital innovation thrived during the COVID19 pandemic, with virtual tours and online educational workshops boosting accessibility and resilience

It also acknowledges areas for growth: clearer guidance on demonstrating “European significance”, stronger outreach to smaller or rural sites, and simplified application processes. Recommendations include refining selection criteria and greater integration with programmes like Creative Europe and Erasmus+.

Report

Looking forward

The evaluation positions the EHL as a cultural catalyst. It shows how it enhances Europe’s shared identity, democratic values, and sustainable heritage — while laying the groundwork for the label’s evolution post-2025.

Tagged in:  Protecting cultural heritage
Published:  11 Aug 2025

Last updated: