Council of Europe, Committee of Ministers

This Recommendation addresses the need to extend the protection of the built heritage by addressing historic complexes, that is, buildings and structures along with their contents. The document asks member states to identify and classify historic complexes (public and private) and to put in place legislation to provide for their protection. It also recommends sanctions to ensure that objects not be separated from their built environment and that incentives, such as tax relief, subsidies, and low-interest loans, be enacted to encourage preservation.