The European Heritage Label (EHL) is a European Union initiative established in 2011 to distinguish sites that possess strong symbolic European value and contribute to a better understanding and visibility of significant elements, both of the values on which the European Union is based, and of European history and cultural heritage, including relevant events, personalities, and movements within the framework of the European integration process.
Currently, Portugal has five distinguished national sites – the General Library of the University of Coimbra, the Letter of Law for the Abolition of the Death Penalty (1867), the Promontory of Sagres, the Underwater Cultural Heritage of the Azores, and the Lagar Velho Shelter/Child of Lapedo – in addition to a transnational site which, in Portuguese territory, includes the House of the Convention (in Évora Monte) and the Paço dos Henriques (in Alcáçovas), both stages of fundamental treaties for the construction of peace.
The EHL provides participating institutions with the opportunity to network and benefit from specific capacity-building actions and funding for projects conceived and carried out in partnership.
Next year, a new selection process for sites will take place. Portugal can submit two candidacies, of which only one may subsequently be selected by the European jury. The submission of candidacies results from a national pre-selection process, coordinated by the Office for Strategy, Planning and Cultural Assessment (GEPAC), which launches a call for candidacies. The proposals will be evaluated by a national jury.
The calendar for applications in Portugal is as follows:
- Until December 7, 2026 – submission of candidacies to GEPAC.
- Until January 23, 2027 – meeting of the Jury and deliberation.
- Until February 13, 2027 – submission of the final version of the pre-selected site(s) candidacies.
- Until February 28, 2027 – sending of the pre-selected candidacies to the European Commission.
- Until December 7, 2026 – submission of candidacies to GEPAC.
- Until January 23, 2027 – meeting of the Jury and deliberation.
- Until February 13, 2027 – submission of the final version of the pre-selected site(s) candidacies.
- Until February 28, 2027 – sending of the pre-selected candidacies to the European Commission.
Relevant documents include the regulation for national pre-selection, Decision No 1194/2011/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council, and application forms available on the GEPAC website.
