The European Union Prize for Literature shortlist announced

The 2026 EU Prize for Literature shortlist has been announced.

It includes 14 authors from various European countries, and the winner will be announced May 29, 2026, in Warsaw.

The shortlisted authors are:

• Sargis Hovsepyan, “You Die Today, I Die Tomorrow” (Armenia)
• Lora Tomaš, “Paper of Your Skin” (Croatia)
• Dora Kaprálová, “The Maribor Hypnosis” (Czechia)
• Evridiki Pericleous-Papadopoulou, “Sorely Grieved: Helen of Karpasia” (Cyprus)
• Lilli Luuk, “Night Mother” (Estonia)
• Susanna Hast, “Despair” (Finland)
• Hélène Frédérick, “Rivers of White” (France)
• Arben Idrizi, “The Man Who Wondered and Other Stories” (Kosovo)
• Mathias Ospelt, “Ebony” (Liechtenstein)
• Elise Schmit, “General Doubts About the Future Course of Events” (Luxembourg)
• Paula Erizanu, “Here Is Both Heaven and Hell. Republic of Moldova: A Century of Lived History” (Moldova)
• Vladimir Vujović, “Free Kicks” (Montenegro)
• Ivan Shopov, “Zentrifuge” (North Macedonia)
• Frans Wachtmeister, “Lost Ground” (Sweden)

The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL), supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, is an annual initiative to recognize the best emerging fiction writers in Europe.

“The Prize aims 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 to encourage greater interest in non-national literary works,” reads the Prize website.

Since 2009, EUPL has honored 216 authors. The works of these winners are promoted to reach a broader, international audience and to resonate with readers beyond national and linguistic boundaries.
Croatian writer Martina Vidaić received the European Union Prize for Literature in 2023 for her book “Bedbugs.”

In 2022, the novel “Ask Miechka” by Eugenia Kuznetsova received a special mention in the European Union Prize for Literature. In 2019, Haska Shyyan won the EUPL for her novel “Behind Your Back.” This was the first year that Ukraine was invited to participate in the European Union Prize for Literature award process.

RELATED: Spotlight on the 2026 Dublin Literary Award longlist

Main image: Prize website

Copy editing: Sheri Liguori