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Abstract

• The 4th EC Conference on "Research for protection, conservation an enhancement of cultural heritage, opportunities for European enterprises" was held in Strasbourg o 22-24/11/2000. The conference was organised under the 5th Framework Programme, Key Action 'City of Tomorrow and Cultural Heritage' (1999-2002). It was organised by the French Presidency of the EU in close collaboration with the EC and the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, with the support of the local authorities. This conference was a great success. It had several aims : fistly, to promote co-operation in the field of research and the transfer of technology between European industries particularly the SMEs for the development of methods and technologies for Cultural Heritage, and secondly, to make aware and mobilise local and national administrations and also private and public organisations in charge of management and sustainable exploitation of cultural heritage. More than 30 scientific contributions were presented in six sessions dealing with many issues. These issues included the evolution of damage and cost benefit analysis of preservation, the relationship between sustainable urban development and the integration of cultural heritage, optical technologies and conservation materials, microclimatic conditions and the ways to reconcile tourism with the exploitation and management of cultural heritage. The Report of the Conference outlines the principle findings of this event, which will be useful both to those who took part - more than 300 participants and experts from 15 different countries, with almost 80 SMEs - and, more generally, to all those who are interested in the most recent applications of this research in an enlarged European framework.