In many European countries, national associations strive for the protection of heritage. The need to compare their experiences and to think of conservation on a wider scale led to the creation of the European Historic Houses Association on May 6th 1985 as a foundation registered in the Netherlands by Heike Kamerlingh Onnes who was President of the Association until 2001, before it was taken over by Ghislain d’Ursel. The current President Rodolphe de Looz-Corswarem has led the Association since January 2011.