The European Heritage Label (EHL) is a EU action that brings cultural heritage sites with a European dimension to the fore. All types of heritage, from monuments and landscapes, to books and archives, objects and intangible heritage, linked to a place, are eligible provided that they are of European significance in terms of the history and culture of Europe or the European integration.

What distinguishes the European Heritage Label from other initiatives is that sites must explain their European dimension, that they need to present a project to bring this European dimension to European audiences, and that they need to have the capacity to carry out this project. New and characteristic to the European Heritage Label is also that the EHL sites are part of a EHL network : through the EHL network , they develop cooperation projects and support each other to promote their European significance.

This report contains the Panel recommendations and explanations for the attribution of the European Heritage Label in 2017. To help future candidate sites submit successful applications, the section on the Clarification of key concepts and criteria for the European Heritage Label has been updated. As the first cycle of the European Heritage Label as a European Union initiative comes to an end, the Panel has taken the opportunity to Take Stock for 2018 and to present its view on The European Heritage Label in 2030.