Cultural Heritage and European Identity in European Union Law and Policy

The chapter underlines the links between the notions of ‘cultural heritage’ and the twin concepts of ‘European cultural heritage’ and ‘European identity’, with the latter having developed since the beginning of the European project with the specific political aim of supporting the integration process. It also attempts to assess the current meaning of these notions for the EU, and to point to possible future research paths in this field. The chapter thus analyses references to cultural heritage in the EU’s legal texts and documents and how it is acknowledged and protected in the constitutional and human rights framework of the EU. It also considers the potential limits of the ‘participatory governance’ model advocated by the Council of Europe (CoE) and the EU for cultural heritage. In that regard, the way the EU deals with the cultural heritage of minorities and immigrants is particularly relevant. Considering all of these issues allows the identification of a selected number of EU policy areas that still require further analysis, and from which recommendations for legal reform or improved organizational structures should be drawn.