The Task Force on Economy and Statistics, one of the two committees of the European Heritage Heads Forum, was established in 2012 at the annual meeting in Potsdam (Germany) in order ‘to create a common methodology for collecting economic data of cultural heritage’. The main aim of the Task Force is to formulate clear indicators on the socioeconomic contribution of immovable cultural heritage at the European level. 

By doing so, the Task Force wants to support the sector in building better statistics and generating knowledge on the societal relevance of cultural heritage. Cultural heritage is being increasingly regarded as an indispensable resource for sustainable development (Conclusions on cultural heritage as a strategic resource for a sustainable Europe, Council of the European Union, May 2014). Quantifying this societal contribution will help the sector to implement more effective and efficient policies.

The Task Force on Economy and Statistics is currently working on collecting information on the gross value added and the jobs generated in

1. The construction sector
2. The real estate and property sectors
3. The tourism sector
4. The cultural and creative industries sectors

As from 2018, the Task Force received substantive support in its tasks from an external research team under the ESPON Targeted Analysis programme. This first collaboration led to an ongoing applied research.