Europa Nostra and European Heritage Hub urge EU Ministers to support “Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe” Joint Declaration
Brussels, 28 November 2025 – Ahead of today’s Council of the European Union meeting under the Danish Presidency, Europa Nostra, also on behalf of the European Heritage Hub, wrote a letter to the 27 EU Ministers of Culture to express strong support for the proposed Joint Declaration “Europe for Culture – Culture for Europe”.
The proposed Declaration, presented by Commissioner for Culture Glenn Micallef, aims to reinforce political backing for the Culture Compass for Europe, unveiled by the European Commission on 12 November. The Compass provides a strategic framework for EU cultural policy, highlighting the vital role of culture and heritage in shaping European identity, fostering social cohesion, and supporting artists and cultural professionals.
The proposed Joint Declaration “represents a timely opportunity for Member States to reaffirm the European Union’s political commitment to achieve and implement a transversal vision for culture and cultural heritage through adequate actions and resources to be allocated to culture in the next MFF”, the letter states.
For this reason, “we urge EU Member States to express their support for this Joint Declaration. This endorsement would send a strong signal and firm confirmation that culture and cultural heritage have been elevated among the key priorities and resources of benefit for the future of Europe”, the letter concludes. The letter also stresses that the “simultaneous presentation of the Culture Compass with the European Democracy Shield and the EU Strategy for Civil Society underscores the intricate connection between culture, heritage, and democracy”.
Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Credit: PP Photos / Shutterstock
During today’s EU Council meeting, following the presentation of the Culture Compass by European Commissioner Glenn Micallef, several Ministers of Culture explicitly referred to cultural heritage in their brief positive responses to the Culture Compass. France emphasised the vital link between cultural sovereignty of Europe and heritage protection; Italy advocated for increased funding and stressed the importance of heritage safeguarding, alongside cultural passes for young people; Malta highlighted the essential role of cultural professionals in preserving heritage; Estonia focused on the preservation of digital heritage and the creation of shared cultural spaces; Poland referred especially to heritage protection and to the need for support for young creators; Romania highlighted heritage accessibility and the transversal role of culture; and Cyprus underscored the importance of cohesion and the strategic use of the Culture Compass to support heritage, and underlined that their upcoming presidency would give priority to supporting the implementation of this strategic document within the Council.
