On 17 December 1984, the European Commission and the European University Institute (EUI) signed the agreement founding the Historical Archives of the European Union in Florence. Forty years on, the two Secretary-Generals of the institutions, Ilze Juhansone and Marco Del Panta, have respectively signed a new declaration confirming this relationship. Maria Olivan-Aviles, Head of Unit for Directorate C - Transparency, Efficiency & Resources, represented the European Commission and brought the declaration to Florence for a signing ceremony at Villa Salviati.
The anniversary declaration reconfirmed the unique mission of the Historical Archives of the European Union in preserving and rendering accessible to the public the historical documents of EU institutions, bodies, and agencies; stressed the mandatory deposit of EU-institutional archives at the European University Institute after 30 years for public access and scientific research; and underscored the priority of digital access to the archives to promote accessibility and outreach to the widest audience possible.
In his speech to the attendees, Marco Del Panta acknowledged the role of the Italian government in accommodating the needs of the Historical Archives, and highlighted the Archives’ efforts to foster the “European spirit” through its outreach activities and support for academic research on European integration. Maria Olivan-Aviles reminded listeners of the great historical value of the documents preserved in Florence, and emphasised the key role of the HAEU in promoting transparency and openness in the European Union by making them accessible to the public.
The signature ceremony took place on 22 December at the EUI, and was an exceptional addition to one of the regular biannual meetings of the Interinstitutional Archives Group (IIAG). The IIAG was set up by the European Commission in 2004 for strategic, coordination and harmonisation purposes, and its meetings are attended by representatives of all depositing European institutions, bodies and agencies, as well as of the Historical Archives of the European Union.
Dieter Schlenker, Director of the HAEU, said “This day marks 40 years of close cooperation between the European University Institute and the European Commission in the preservation of Europe’s written and audiovisual memory. With its new focus on digital and online access to the historical documents of EU institutions, reaffirmed in today’s Declaration, the Historical Archives of the European Union is ready to face the challenges of the digital age and to perform further its mission to inform researchers and citizens on the unique history of European integration.”