15 January 2026
The AURORA consortium is proud to announce the publication of a joint Policy Brief developed together with the Horizon Europe projects ANCHISE and ENIGMA. This collaborative document brings together the complementary expertise of the three consortia to propose concrete, actionable recommendations for European institutions in the fight against the trafficking and looting of cultural goods.
The Policy Brief highlights the urgent need for coordinated, interdisciplinary, and technologically advanced responses to protect cultural heritage, especially in a context marked by geopolitical instability, evolving security threats, and fragmented national capacities.
Drawing on the field experience of the three projects, the document outlines pragmatic solutions aimed at strengthening EU‑level action. Among the key proposals are:
- The creation of a European Interdisciplinary Competence Centre to institutionalize long‑term cooperation between law enforcement, cultural institutions, researchers, and technology developers.
- The implementation of a standardized European blockchain infrastructure, building on AURORA’s results, to ensure secure authentication and traceability of cultural goods across borders.
- Enhanced interoperability, data sharing, and capacity building to reduce vulnerabilities exploited by criminal networks.
This Policy Brief demonstrates how collaboration between Horizon Europe projects can generate a unified vision and contribute to shaping future European strategies and regulations. It also ensures that the legacy of AURORA, ANCHISE, and ENIGMA will continue beyond the duration of the projects, supporting policymakers in designing effective and sustainable measures to protect cultural heritage.
The full document is available to download here.
