ABSTRACT
"Culture" plays a pivotal role for the European Union (EU) and other transnational European institutions and organizations. In fields as diverse as tourism, rural development, education, and law, culture is framed strategically as a flexible concept mediating between member state interests, integrating diverging perceptions, and creating acceptance for the EU's goals and policies amongst its citizens. This chapter explores how "culture" as a flexible concept is used to gloss over conflicts and inequalities of EU policy and its implementation, and how it can veil interests detrimental to the very goals argued for. It discusses EU cultural policies in the context of cultural property, drawing on conventions and declarations from the EU and its bodies, but also decisions from international organizations like the Council of Europe in the field of cultural property. European food products are not the only example where the clinching argument justifying the establishment of a new policy is drawn from culture.
