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 (5.000 Euro for each winner) 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.
The competition is opened to all 37 countries involved in the EU Culture Programme run by EC - DG EAC. This year the selected countries are: Austria , Croatia , France , Hungary , Ireland , Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Poland , Portugal, Slovakia and Sweden. So, 12 winners, Romania is not on the winners' list. Maybe next year...
The prizes were awarded in November 2012 in Brussels.