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European Confederation of Conservators-restorers' Organizations

E.C.C.O.

Our Vision Cultural heritage safeguarded for society through high standards in the professional practice of Conservation-Restoration. Our Mission To organize, develop and promote, on a practical, scientific and cultural level, the profession of the Conservator-Restorer. To set standards and regulate practice at European level and enhance communication between and mobility of professionals. To strengthen the role and responsibilities of the Conservator-Restorer in relation to others in safeguarding cultural heritage.

Lobbying Activity

Response to A Culture Compass for Europe

13 May 2025

E.C.C.O. is a non-profit confederation established in 1991, representing the conservator-restorers professional bodies across Europe, with 29 national member organisations from 26 countries. Its core mission is to uphold the principle of safeguarding Cultural Heritage for society through high standards in the professional practice of Conservation-Restoration. To this end, we organize, develop and promote on a practical, scientific and cultural level, the profession of the Conservator-Restorer; setting standards and regulating practice at European level and enhancing communication and mobility of professionals. Aiming to strengthen the role and responsibilities of the conservator-restorer in relation to others in protecting cultural heritage. The safeguarding and preservation of cultural heritage require the democratic participation of all society so as to realise and amplify its values and the benefits heritage has to offer. Therefore, the conservation-restoration of European heritage must be accomplished by high technological and scientific expertise preformed under an ethical and humanistic mindset. The conservator-restorer has become this discrete profession with specialised education and training, able to assess and intervene directly on the material fabric of the cultural heritage within a strict code of ethics, professional standards and competences. Highly relevant, safeguarding and conservation of national heritage is identified by the EU as one of the public interest objectives, recognised by all member states, and which undoubtedly contributes to the common good. Conservator-restorers, by their multidisciplinary training, respectful and ethical attitude towards diverse environments of cultural, historical, and spiritual significance, can play a key role in the shared stewardship of heritage. By bringing communities to the forefront of care and decision making in heritage, it nurtures their sense of belonging and identity, reinforces cultural awareness and knowledge sharing throughout the process. These actions are the cornerstone for developing cohesive, democratic, multicultural, tolerant, participative and sustainable communities which are able to innovate and adapt. The network provides a forum to exchange national concerns and challenges. There is also a shared recognition and strong commitment of our mission towards heritage, which enables a meaningful and coherent strategy as a collective body. That upholds the fundamental role of the profession as a facilitator in society, its understanding and appreciation of heritage multiple values and conservation needs. Its wide national representation brings social, legal and economical multi-insights, as well as cultural variety and perspectives, to the participative process of resolving each challenge. As a unified voice, E.C.C.O. can promote standards and principles and co-create strategies and policies for heritage safeguarding building on EU quality principles. E.C.C.O. has already established the standards for the professional practice and strives for professional mobility, however this is hindered by the lack of formal recognition of our profile, our competences and our role in the heritage ecosystem on behalf of a rapidly changing society. Moreover, many conservator-restorers are self-employed, work in small and micro enterprises and therefore their working conditions are precarious, as observed across the cultural and creative sectors, with the added challenge of working in the public interest and in line with regulatory frameworks. Ultimately, such expertise and critical social role require highly specialised education and training, that needs to be regularly upgraded. This in turn requires a continuous significant support and resources in their education and training at national and regional level, to guarantee high quality practice across Europe. We hope the Culture Compass for Europe addresses these concerns.
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