What is EUPL

Aim of the Prize

The aim of the European Prize for Literature is to put the spotlight on the creativity and diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature in the field of fiction, to promote the circulation of literature within Europe and encourage greater interest in non-national literary works.

The works of the selected winners (one per country participating in the prize on a rotation basis) will reach a wider and international audience, and touch readers beyond national and linguistic borders.

The prize is financed by the Culture Programme of the European Union whose objective is to achieve three main goals: to promote cross-border mobility of those working in the cultural sector; to encourage the transnational circulation of cultural and artistic output; and to foster intercultural dialogue.

As the consortium selected by the Commission to coordinate the initiative, the European Booksellers Federation (EBF), the European Writers' Council (EWC) and the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) are jointly responsible for the setting up of the national juries and the practical organisation of the award ceremony.

The prize competition is open to the 37 countries currently involved in the EU Culture Programme. Each year, national juries in a third of the participating countries nominate their winning authors, making it possible for all countries and language areas to be represented over a three-year period.

The first three-year cycle was completed in 2009-2011, the second cycle in 2012-2014.

The selected countries in 2014

Albania, Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Greece, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malta, Montenegro, Serbia, The Netherlands,Turkey and United Kingdom

The nomination of candidates and the final selection of one winner in each country will take place between February and July 2014.

In 2013 the countries taking part in the Programme are:

  • the Member States of the European Union, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia,Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
  • the countries of the European Economic Area (Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway);
  • Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey.

For more information, please see: Culture programme – Publication JO

Selection Process

The winning authors are selected by qualified juries set up in each of the countries participating in the award.

The new emerging talents will be selected on the basis of requirements stipulated by the European Commission. and fulfill in particular the following requirements:

  • Be a citizen of one of the 12 countries selected
  • To have published between 2 and 4 books of fiction
  • The books should have been published during the five years before the prize

The selected countries in 2013

The selected countries for the European Prize for Literature in 2013 are Belgium, Bosnia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and Macedonia.

The selected countries in 2012

  •  Austria , Croatia , France , Hungary , Ireland , Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland , Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden

Countries participating in the Culture Programme 2009-2011

  • The 27 Member States of the European Union on 1 January 2007 (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom);
  • The 3 EEA countries: Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein;
  • The candidate countries for accession to the EU (Turkey, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) plus Serbia
  • Countries of the western Balkans: Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro

The selected countries in 2011

  • Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Greece, Iceland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malta, Montenegro, Serbia, The Netherlands,Turkey and United Kingdom

The nomination of candidates and the final selection of one winner in each country will take place between February and July 2011.

The selected countries in 2010

  • Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Romania, Slovenia, Spain and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

The selected countries in 2009

  • Austria , Croatia , France , Hungary , Ireland , Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland , Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden.