22.11.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 303/1 (Legislative acts) | DECISIONS DECISION No 1194/2011/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 November 2011 establishing a European Union action for the European Heritage Label THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 167(5), first indent, thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments, Having regard to the opinion of the Committee of the Regions (1), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (3), Whereas: 1 The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) aims at an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe and confers on the Union the task, inter alia, of contributing to the flowering of the cultures of the Member States, while respecting their national and regional diversity and at the same time bringing the common cultural heritage to the fore. In this respect, the Union, where necessary, supports and supplements Member States’ action to improve the knowledge and dissemination of the culture and history of the European peoples. A Dbetter understanding and appreciation, especially among young people, of their shared yet diverse heritage would help to strengthen the sense of () O] C 267, 1.10.2010, p. 52. (3) Position of the European Parliament of 16 December 2010 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and position of the Council at first reading of 19 July 2011. Position of the European Parliament of 16 November 2011. belonging to the Union and reinforce intercultural dialogue. It is therefore important to promote greater access to cultural heritage and to enhance its European dimension. The TFEU also establishes citizenship of the Union, which complements national citizenship of the respective Member States and is an important element in safe- guarding and strengthening the process of European inte- gration. For citizens to give their full support to European integration, greater emphasis should be placed on their common values, history and culture as key elements of their membership of a society founded on the principles of freedom, democracy, respect for human rights, cultural and linguistic diversity, tolerance and solidarity. An intergovernmental European Heritage Label initiative (intergovernmental initiative’) was launched on 28 April 2006 in Granada, Spain. On 20 November 2008, the Council adopted conclusions (}) aimed at transforming the intergovern- mental initiative into a Union action (action’) by inviting the Commission to submit to it a proposal for the creation by the Union of a European Heritage Label (label’) and to specify the practical procedures for the implementation of the project. The public consultation and the impact assessment carried out by the Commission confirmed the value of the intergovernmental initiative but indicated that it needed to be further developed to reach its full potential, and that the involvement of the Union could provide it with a clear added value and help it to take a qualitative step forward. () O] C 319, 13.12.2008, p. 11.