The Commission Launches a Common European Data Space for Cultural Heritage

Today, the Commission publishes a recommendation on a common European data space for cultural heritage. The aim is to accelerate the digitization of all cultural heritage monuments, sites, objects and artifacts for future generations, to protect and preserve those at risk, and to enhance their reuse in areas such as education, sustainable tourism and cultural creation.
Europeana, the European digital cultural platform, will form the core of the common data space for cultural heritage. It will enable museums, galleries, libraries and archives across Europe to share and reuse digitized images of cultural heritage, such as 3D models of historical sites and high-quality scans of paintings. The Commission encourages Member States to digitize by 2030 all monuments and sites at risk of degradation and half of the most frequently visited tourist monuments. This recommendation will contribute to achieving the Digital Decade goals by promoting a secure and sustainable digital infrastructure, through digital skills and through the adoption of technologies by businesses, especially SMEs. As announced in the European Data Strategy, the Commission will develop and fund other data spaces in key strategic areas and areas of public interest, such as health, agriculture or construction.