Deadline: 16-Jul-2026
The European Commission’s Safeguarding Europe’s Born-Digital Heritage Pilot Project aims to assess how Europe preserves and provides access to born-digital cultural heritage, including digital art, video games, web archives, and other digital-first content. With a total budget of €1.985 million, the initiative will develop a roadmap of legal, policy, technical, and institutional recommendations to strengthen long-term digital preservation and access across the European Union.
European Commission Safeguarding Europe’s Born-Digital Heritage Pilot Project
Overview
The European Commission has launched the Safeguarding Europe’s Born-Digital Heritage Pilot Project to evaluate the current state of preservation and accessibility of born-digital cultural heritage across the European Union.
The project seeks to identify preservation gaps, assess legal and policy barriers, document best practices, and create a strategic roadmap for improving the long-term preservation and accessibility of Europe’s digital cultural record.
What is Born-Digital Heritage?
Born-digital heritage refers to cultural, artistic, historical, and informational content that originates in digital form rather than being digitized from physical materials.
Examples include:
- Digital art
- Video games
- Websites and web archives
- Digital publications
- Social media content
- Digital audiovisual works
- Online exhibitions
- Interactive media
- Digital community archives
- Software-based cultural resources
Unlike traditional cultural heritage, born-digital materials often face unique preservation challenges because of rapidly changing technologies, software dependencies, licensing restrictions, and digital obsolescence.
Project Objectives
The pilot project aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the preservation landscape for born-digital heritage within Europe.
Key objectives include:
- Assessing the proportion of born-digital heritage currently preserved
- Identifying preservation gaps across Member States
- Evaluating access to preserved digital heritage
- Mapping legal and regulatory frameworks
- Examining copyright and licensing challenges
- Identifying technical and organizational barriers
- Promoting collaboration among stakeholders
- Raising awareness of digital preservation needs
- Developing practical recommendations for future action
Focus Areas
Assessment of Preservation Coverage
The project will determine:
- Which types of born-digital heritage are currently preserved
- How much digital heritage remains at risk
- Which sectors have strong preservation practices
- Which categories require urgent intervention
The assessment will include both institutional and non-institutional digital content.
Legal and Policy Analysis
A major component involves evaluating existing European and national frameworks affecting preservation and access.
Areas of review include:
- Copyright regulations
- Licensing frameworks
- Digital preservation exceptions
- Cultural heritage legislation
- Data access policies
- Cross-border preservation issues
The study will identify opportunities for legal harmonization across EU Member States.
Access to Digital Heritage
The initiative seeks to improve public and research access to digital cultural resources by examining:
- Access restrictions
- Licensing barriers
- Rights management practices
- Long-term accessibility challenges
- Preservation-copy creation mechanisms
Special attention will be given to materials that can be accessed or licensed but cannot currently be acquired for preservation purposes.
Types of Digital Heritage Covered
The project covers a broad range of digital cultural materials.
Digital Art
Includes:
- Interactive artworks
- Multimedia installations
- Digital exhibitions
- Creative digital media
Web Archives
Includes:
- Historical websites
- Online publications
- Archived web content
- Digital public records
Video Games
Includes:
- Commercial games
- Independent games
- Educational games
- Game-related digital assets
Digital Cultural Content
Includes:
- Social media records
- Community-generated content
- Online cultural resources
- Digital storytelling projects
Institutional and Non-Institutional Collections
The project examines digital materials held by:
- Libraries
- Museums
- Archives
- Universities
- Research institutions
- Independent creators
- Community organizations
Key Challenges Addressed
Legal Challenges
The project will investigate:
- Copyright restrictions
- Licensing limitations
- Preservation exceptions
- Access rights
- Cross-border legal inconsistencies
Technical Challenges
Challenges include:
- Software obsolescence
- Hardware dependency
- Data migration
- Format degradation
- Storage sustainability
Financial Challenges
Many institutions face:
- Limited preservation budgets
- Insufficient digital infrastructure
- Resource constraints
- Long-term maintenance costs
Organizational Challenges
Common issues include:
- Lack of specialist expertise
- Fragmented preservation efforts
- Limited institutional coordination
- Inconsistent preservation standards
Funding Information
Total Budget
€1,985,000
EU Funding Rate
The European Union will fund up to:
85% of eligible project costs
Maximum Grant Amount
€1,985,000
Expected Number of Projects
The call is expected to support:
One large-scale project
Who Can Benefit?
The project is designed to support a wide range of stakeholders involved in digital preservation and cultural heritage management.
Potential beneficiaries include:
- Libraries
- Archives
- Museums
- Cultural heritage institutions
- Universities
- Research organizations
- Digital preservation networks
- Policy makers
- Cultural content creators
- Europe-wide heritage initiatives
Building on Existing European Expertise
The initiative will leverage knowledge and resources developed through existing preservation efforts.
This includes collaboration with:
- Digital repositories
- Cultural heritage institutions
- Preservation research initiatives
- European digital infrastructure projects
- The Europeana ecosystem
- National and regional archives
The goal is to avoid duplication and build upon proven practices and established networks.
Expected Outcomes
Comprehensive Assessment Report
The project will produce evidence on:
- Current preservation coverage
- Preservation gaps
- Access challenges
- Legal barriers
- Institutional needs
Best Practice Framework
The initiative will identify and document:
- Successful preservation models
- Innovative approaches
- Scalable solutions
- Collaborative practices
Policy Recommendations
Recommendations may address:
- Copyright reform
- Licensing improvements
- Preservation exceptions
- Access frameworks
- Cross-border cooperation
Strategic Roadmap
The final roadmap will outline:
- Legislative actions
- Non-legislative measures
- Implementation priorities
- Awareness initiatives
- Capacity-building strategies
- Long-term preservation goals
Why This Initiative Matters
Europe’s cultural memory is increasingly being created in digital form.
Without effective preservation strategies, valuable cultural resources risk being permanently lost due to:
- Technological obsolescence
- Legal restrictions
- Insufficient funding
- Lack of coordinated preservation systems
This initiative seeks to ensure that future generations can access, study, and benefit from Europe’s digital cultural heritage.
How the Project Works
Step 1: Assess Existing Preservation Efforts
Evaluate what digital heritage is currently being preserved.
Step 2: Map Legal and Policy Frameworks
Review national and EU regulations affecting preservation and access.
Step 3: Identify Barriers
Examine technical, financial, legal, and organizational challenges.
Step 4: Collect Best Practices
Document successful preservation models across Europe.
Step 5: Develop Recommendations
Create practical legislative and operational recommendations.
Step 6: Produce a Roadmap
Deliver a strategic roadmap for long-term preservation and access.
Common Challenges in Born-Digital Preservation
Organizations frequently encounter:
- Copyright uncertainty
- Proprietary software dependencies
- Lack of preservation infrastructure
- Limited digital preservation expertise
- Funding constraints
- Inconsistent metadata standards
- Difficulties preserving interactive content
Addressing these challenges is central to the project’s objectives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is born-digital heritage?
Born-digital heritage consists of cultural materials originally created in digital form, such as websites, video games, digital art, social media content, and online publications.
2. Why is born-digital preservation important?
Without preservation efforts, digital cultural materials may become inaccessible due to technological changes, data loss, legal barriers, or obsolete formats.
3. What is the budget for the project?
The total available budget is €1,985,000.
4. How much funding can the EU provide?
The European Union can cover up to 85% of eligible project costs.
5. What types of content will be assessed?
The project covers digital art, web archives, video games, online cultural resources, and digital content created both inside and outside cultural heritage institutions.
6. What are the main challenges being examined?
The project will examine legal, technical, financial, organizational, and policy-related barriers to preservation and access.
7. What will the final roadmap include?
The roadmap will include legislative recommendations, policy reforms, best practices, implementation strategies, awareness activities, and practical tools to support long-term digital preservation.
Conclusion
The European Commission’s Safeguarding Europe’s Born-Digital Heritage Pilot Project represents a significant effort to protect Europe’s rapidly growing digital cultural record. By assessing preservation practices, identifying legal and technical barriers, and developing a comprehensive roadmap for future action, the initiative aims to strengthen digital preservation systems and ensure that Europe’s born-digital heritage remains accessible for researchers, institutions, and future generations.
For more information, visit European Commission.