The latest report provides a review and assessment of the overall actions and progress achieved in the European Union in implementing the Recommendation (2011/711/EU), which is one of the main EU policy instruments on digitisation, online access and digital preservation of cultural heritage material.
The objectives of the report are: first and foremost, to monitor and track the implementation progress in each Member State in the five areas addressed by the Recommendation (2011/711/EU); second, to provide a comprehensive overview of Member States strategies and policies on digitisation of cultural heritage; to highlight best practices and opportunities for economies of scale; and to serve possible synergies with initiatives at the EU level, including the implementation of the Declaration of cooperation on advancing digitisation of cultural heritage signed at the Digital Day 2019.
Main highlights from the report
- There is a rising emphasis on digitization of immoveable cultural heritage such as monuments, historical buildings and archaeological sites among the Member States
- There is a positive trend and progress towards broader application of the principle of preserving public domain status after digitization among the Member States
- Member States remain supportive of the development of Europeana, and the focus has shifted from reaching quantitative targets to managing quality
“Europe’s galleries, libraries, archives, museums and audiovisual archives have vast and rich collections that represent Europe’s cultural diversity but also our shared history and values. We have a lot to cherish, share and safeguard. That is why the Commission monitors progress in terms of digitisation, online access and digital preservation through the implementation of the Recommendation (2011/711/EU),” as stated by Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, in the foreword of the report.
Background info on the report
The Cultural Heritage: Digitisation, Online Accessibility and Digital Preservation report consolidates national implementation progress reports that were submitted up until March 2019 by Member States from EU 27 and Liechtenstein, for the 2015-2017 period. It follows two previous rounds of consolidated reports.
Read the full report at European Commission’s website.