Introduction

The Contribution addresses the cultural, technical and policy background in which the topic of the book is placed. It presents the different legal layers governing the law of cultural property at the European regional level, considering the linkages between international and human rights law, EU law, Member State's law, as well as between positive law, policy approaches and cultural practices developing in societ(y/ies). It then presents the topics of the contribution underlining how they are linked one with another to address present issues and future challenges regarding cultural heritage governance in the EU.