For the 2024 edition, emerging authors from 13 countries had been nominated by their country. An international jury composed of seven literary personalities have announced the winner of the Grand Prix and the five special mentions on 4 April 2024, at the Brussels Book Fair.

The 2024 winners

Theis Ørntoft, from Denmark is the winner of the 2024 edition of the EU Prize for Literature. The five authors who have received a mention are

• Todor Todorov from Bulgaria
• Deniz Utlu from Germany
• María Elísabet Bragadóttir from Iceland
• Sholeh Rezazadeh from the Netherlands
• Tina Vrščaj from Slovenia

All works nominated this year showcase the richness and diversity of European literature. At the European Commission, we take pride in supporting a prize that helps talented writers from across Europe connect with readers worldwide through translations and promotion. Let's keep celebrating our diverse European literature!

- said Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.

The 2024 nominees

The 13 nominees for the 2024 European Union Prize for Literature were

• Albania: Rita Petro, Lindur së prapthi, Publisher: Onufri

• Bulgaria: Todor Todorov, Хагабула, Publisher: Janet 45

• Denmark: Theis Ørntoft, Jordisk, Publisher: Gyldendal

• Germany: Deniz Utlu, Vaters Meer, Publisher: Suhrkamp

• Hungary: Puskás Panni, Megmenteni bárkit, Publisher: Magvető

• Iceland: María Elísabet Bragadóttir, Sápufuglinn, Publisher: Una útgáfuhús

• Latvia: Daina Tabūna, Raganas, Publisher: Ascendum

• Malta: Aleks Farrugia, Ir-Re Borg, Publisher : SKS

• Netherlands: Sholeh Rezazadeh, Ik ken een berg die op me wacht, Publisher: Ambo|Anthos 

• Portugal: Gabriela Ruivo, Lei da gravidade, Publisher: Porto Editora

• Serbia: Bojan Krivokapić, Vila Fazanka, Publisher: Areté

• Slovenia: Tina Vrščaj, Na klancu, Publisher: Cankarjeva založba

• Tunisia: Arbia Braham, Jebel El Milh, Publisher: Editions Arabesque

All nominated authors will be continuously promoted at European level. This will help them reach a wider and more international audience, as well as connect with readers beyond their national and linguistic borders.

The 2024 selection displays a great variety of languages, countries stories, and voices. It is a perfect illustration of what EU and Creative Europe stand for: openness and support to cultural and linguistic diversity within and beyond EU.

About the prize

The European Union Prize for Literature recognises emerging fiction writers from the European Union and beyond since its creation in 2009. The Prize celebrates outstanding new literary talents from all 40 countries participating in the Creative Europe programme.

Highlighting the creativity and the immense and diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature in the field of fiction, EUPL promotes the circulation of literature within Europe and encourage greater interest in non-national literary works.

The EUPL is organised by a consortium of associations comprising the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), with the support of the European Commission.