The European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers' Organisations (E.C.C.O.) is a European non-governmental professional organisation aimed at safeguarding cultural heritage through the use of conservation-restoration techniques.^[1][2]

E.C.C.O. was established in 1991 by 14 European conservator-restorers' organisations. As of 2018 it represents close to 6,000 professionals within 22 European countries and 25 members organisations,^[3] including one international body (International Association of Book and Papers Conservators – IADA^[4]). E.C.C.O. represents the field of preservation of cultural heritage, both movable and immovable, with the mission:^{[citation needed][5]}

• to organize, develop and promote, on a practical, scientific and cultural level, the profession of the Conservator-Restorer
• to set standards and regulate practice at European level and enhance communication between and mobility of professionals
• to strengthen the role and responsibilities of the Conservator-Restorer in relation to others in safeguarding cultural heritage.

E.C.C.O. was founded on 14 October 1991 as European federation of restorers’ associations, with the aim of working together to develop a common European project for professional recognition of the conservator-restorers’ profession.^[6] New associations have joined as the European Union has expanded. E.C.C.O. has established principles and encouraged regulation to control access to the profession of the Conservator-Restorer, by working on professional standards and publishing guidelines for education and practice.^{[citation needed]}

Projects^[7] in which E.C.C.O. has participated include APEL (1998–2001),^[8] CON.B.E.FOR (1999–2001),^[9] and FULCO (1998), resulting in the Document of Vienna.^[10] E.C.C.O. was also involved in the drawing of the Document of Pavia (1997),^[11] the Namur Declaration (2015),^[12] and the Declaration of Berlin (2016).^[13][14] E.C.C.O. has produced various professional guidelines:

• I The Profession (2002)^[15]
• II Code of Ethics (2003)^[16]
• III Education and Training (2004)^[17]
• Competences for Access to the Conservation-Restoration Profession (2011)^[18][19][20]

Since the end of 2014, E.C.C.O. has followed a new strategic plan^[21][22] and its proposed implementation.^[23] Since April 2015, E.C.C.O. has been granted observer status to the plenary sessions of the Council of Europe Steering Committee on Landscape, Heritage and Culture (CDCPP).^[24] Several projects are running concerning the legal situation of Cultural Heritage and Conservator-Restorers throughout Europe, working towards mutual recognition of the members of E.C.C.O.’s member organizations in Europe. The international network in the field of cultural heritage and conservation-restoration is being extended and intensified working with ICCROM, ENCoRE, ICOMOS, Europa Nostra, IIC, ICOM-CC,^[25] and other organisations. As a member, E.C.C.O. is also involved in the activities of the network in the European Heritage Alliance 3.3.^[26] Since 2017, E.C.C.O. has participated in the European Commission project Voices of Culture – Skills, Training and Knowledge Transfer: Traditional and Emerging Heritage – Structured Dialogue.^{[citation needed]} In November 2016, the E.C.C.O. 20th Anniversary Barcelona book was published.^[27]

The following have been presidents of E.C.C.O.:^{[citation needed][28]}

• Mogens Koch (1991–1992)
• Ulrich Schiessl (1993–1994)
• Pierre Masson (1995–1997)
• Stéfan Pennec (1998–2000)
• Gerlinde Tauschnig (2001–2002)
• Ylva Player Dahnsjö (2003–2004)
• Michael van Gompen (2005)
• Monica Martelli Castaldi (2006–2012)
• Susan Corr (2013 – present)

• List of cultural conservation-restoration organizations
• List of dates in the history of conservation and restoration

• ECCO website
• European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers' Organisations on Facebook