The International Association of the European Heritage Network (hereafter referred to as the Herein AISBL) was set up on 17 November 2010. The Association brings together government representatives responsible for cultural heritage from several European countries: Belgium (Wallonia), Finland, France, Greece, Slovenia, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The principal aim of the Association is to promote the exchange of experience and to foster the exchange of information on cultural heritage policies.

The work of the Association is complementary to the work of the Council of Europe and carried out in cooperation with this Organisation which set up and manages the European Heritage Network (HEREIN). Herein is a network of over 44 government departments maintaining a permanent information system on heritage policies and a multilingual terminology on heritage is attached to it.

The Network is not yet used enough in view of its potential. This is why a few countries have decided to join forces to enhance and develop it through this International Association.

The AISBL "extends and reinforces, through its actions, European institutional and intergovernmental cooperation started by the Herein Network". The AISBL is at the disposal of different heritage actors: governments and scientific institutions or other relevant associations may all participate in the project and become members of the Association. The AISBL will also be an interface between the heritage and international institutions and organisations with the express purpose of becoming a leading information platform on heritage policies in Europe.