The European Commission has recently presented a proposal for a Decision creating a “European Heritage Label.” To Brussels neither the UNESCO World Heritage List nor the Council of Europe’s European Cultural Routes are enough, as it has to have its own heritage label. Unlike the World Heritage sites, the European Heritage sites would not be chosen according to their beauty or arquitecture but “on the basis of their European symbolic value.” In fact, according to the Commission the label would be given to sites which “have played a key role in the history and the building of the European Union.” This is, therefore, another Brussels’s ideias to promote EU integration.
It is important to recall that such initiative already exists at an intergovernmental level. Presently, 64 sites located in 17 Member States and in Switzerland have been awarded the label. Austria, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Luxembourg and the UK have not participated yet in the scheme.
In 2008, the Council asked the Commission to present a proposal transforming the existing intergovernmental European Heritage Label into an EU’s formal action. The present proposal is based on the 2006 intergovernmental project and expands the European Heritage Label into an initiative of the EU. Member States participation would be voluntary. However, it should not be called “European Heritage Label” but “EU heritage label.” Whereas presently third countries such as Switzerland participate in the scheme, under the Commission’s proposal the “European Heritage label” would be solely awarded to sites situated in EU Member States. According to the Commission, having the “European Heritage Label” as a EU initiative “would bring clear added value and produce benefits that could not be achieved by Member States acting alone, even with financial support from the European Union.”
The Commission believes that the European Label will “enhance the value and the profile of sites which have played a key role in the history and the building of the European Union (…)” But what benefits and to whom? Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and Youth has said "I believe that the European Heritage Label will help to increase public awareness of our common yet diverse cultural heritage as well as to stimulate cultural tourism and intercultural dialogue." However, this is another disguise to brainwash people about EU integration. The label is aiming at highlighting “sites that celebrate and symbolize European integration, ideals and history”, promoting “new opportunities to learn about Europe's cultural heritage and the democratic values underpinning European history and integration” as well as “increased awareness of European cultural tourism, bringing economic benefits.”
The initiative main aim is to “strengthen European citizens’ sense of belonging to Europe and to promote a sense of European identity by improving knowledge of Europe’s shared history and heritage, especially among young people.” One thing is promoting knowledge of Europe’s shared history and heritage other is using it as an excuse to promote EU integration. Yes, there is a gap between the EU and its citizens but is not due as Brussels is trying to say to “a lack of knowledge of the history of Europe, of the role of the European Union and of the values on which it is based.” People in general do not feel closer to the EU as they found it undemocratic and unaccountable.
The Commission’s proposal introduces a new selection criteria and new selection and monitoring procedures. Under the Commission proposal the “European Heritage Label” would be awarded to sites which “have a symbolic European value” and “have played a key role in the history and the building of the European Union.” Member States would have to justify the cross-border or pan-European nature of the sites as well as their role “in European history and European integration” or their role “in the development and promotion of the common values that underpin European integration such as freedom, democracy, respect for human rights, cultural diversity, tolerance and solidarity.”
No one can deny the significance of the House of Robert Schuman, in France, for the EU History. However, having a look at the list of sites in the framework of the intergovernmental European Heritage Label one could say that most of the sites have nothing to do with EU history but European history whilst others just have a national dimension. Consequently, awarding an EU label to such sites may well give misleading information, particularly to the target young people.
When applying for the label Member States must commit to promote the “European Dimension” of the site including “raising awareness on the European significance of the site” by organizing “information and educational activities.” Moreover, the label candidates must commit to undertake “the promotion of sites as tourist destinations” and “developing a coherent and comprehensive communication strategy highlighting the European significance of the site.”
The pre-selection stage would take place at Member States level, each Member State may select two sites per year. The final selection would take place at EU level. A “panel of independent experts” composed of members nominated by the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission would be set up to choose, each year, between the pre-selected sites one site per Member State. Then, the European Commission would officially award to those sites the “European Heritage Label.”
Member States would be required to monitor the labelled sites and ensure that they meet the obligations mentioned above, reporting to the European panel every four years. The Commission proposal provides for the possibility of withdrawing the label if the sites no longer meet their obligations.
The Member States which did not participate in the intergovernmental European Heritage Label, including the UK, may propose, under the draft decision, a maximum of four sites for the attribution of the European Heritage Label.
The European Heritage label initiative has a low budget, but, even so, EUR 1.975.000 will come out from the EU budget for the period from January 2011 till December 2013. It is foreseen that EU taxpayers will pay around €1 million a year for the costs of the European panel of experts, for the promotion of the label including EU propaganda, as well as for the employment of officials and temporary agents at the European Commission.
The proposal goes through the ordinary legislative procedure (codecision). Whereas before the Lisbon Treaty unanimity was required at the Council to adopt measures in the cultural field now is just QMV.
