HISTORICAL ARCHIVES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION Published in November 2015 by the European University Institute © European University Institute, 2015 The European Commission supports the EUI through the European Union budget. This publication reflects the views only of the author(s), and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. WELCOME “ e European Union is a fascinating project for peace, then granted the public a place to study the multifaceted progress, democracy and freedom” said Martin Schulz, European project in the thriving academic environment President of the European Parliament in 2012. e of the European University Institute in Florence. history of this grand project, with its achievements and setbacks, is present in the testimonials of those is brochure shall guide academic research and institutions and individuals who have tirelessly worked citizens to these archives so they may learn, discuss and for the process of integration, of the people who have understand from the written testimonials how a united become part of this journey as European citizens and Europe has been built from human stories of success and nally of external partners and critical observers. failure. is common European memory is best captured and e mission of the HAEU as the guardian of Europe’s preserved in the Historical Archives of the European memory was rea rmed in 2012, when the Italian state Union, where documents of the Institutions of the provided new premises at Villa Salviati. Moreover, the European Union are kept along with the papers of numerous visitors, researchers, students and pupils who pioneers and visionaries, of political leaders, and of made their way to the Villa Salviati in these few years the numerous European voices from movements, con rm the vital objectives of this European project. associations and political groups. Dieter Schlenker irty years ago, the European Communities took the Director ground-breaking decision to open their archives and Historical Archives of the European Union 3 CONTENTS Introduction 4 The Historical Achives of the European Union 6 The Historical Archives at Villa Salviati 8 The HAEU and the European University Institute 10 Holdings and Collections 12 Institutional Holdings 14 Private Archives and Collections 24 Oral History Collections 30 Audio-visual Collections 32 Digital Archives 33 Reference Library 35 Alcide De Gasperi Research Centre 36 Outreach, Training and Cooperation 38 Practical Information 40 5 INTRODUCTION “Archives play an essential role in the development of societies by safeguarding and contributing to individual and community memory. Open access to archives enriches our knowledge of human society, promotes democracy, protects citizens’ rights and enhances the quality of life.” (Universal Declaration on Archives, 2010) 7 THE HISTORICAL ARCHIVES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION The Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU), located in Florence, Italy, is a research centre dedicated to the archival preservation and study of European integration. The HAEU is the official archives historical archives to the public. 6,000 linear meters of paper files. In for the historical documents of the A subsequent agreement in 1984 addition to the written memory on Institutions of the European Union, between the European Commission European integration, a substantial and is home to more than 160 private and the European University Institute collection of more than 600 interview archival deposits from eminent (EUI) laid the groundwork for recordings from European oral history European politicians, movements and establishing the Archives in Florence, projects are also available to the associations as well as a collection and the HAEU opened its doors to public. With a priority on digitising of documents relating to European researchers and the public in 1986. and making available key holdings integration from National Archives Since then, the Council Regulation online, 14,000 records are now and Ministries of Foreign Affairs (EU) 2015/496 of 17 March 2015 and available via the internet. The HAEU’s Archives. These holdings document an a following Framework Partnership website receives 400,000 visitors important part of the post-World War Agreement between the EUI and the each year, and 15,000 digital files are II efforts in European integration and European Commission reinforced the downloaded annually. The Archives is cooperation. Historical Archives’ role in preserving, staffed with ten professional archivists The HAEU was established following promoting and providing access to the to assist researchers with both on-site decisions by the European Coal and archival holdings of the EU Institutions. and remote file consultations. Steel Community and the European Since its inception, the Archives has Council in 1983 to open their grown steadily to its current size of 8 9 THE HISTORICAL ARCHIVES AT VILLA SALVIATI 10 The HAEU moved into the historic Villa Salviati in 2012 following extensive renovations to the building. It is a state-of-the-art archives facility with 10,000 linear meters of shelving available. Located in the Florentine hills along via Bolognese, it enjoys a unique position offering magnificent views of the Tuscan countryside from Fiesole to Florence. Villa Salviati, also known as the Villa del Ponte alla Badia, was named after one of its most illustrious owners, Alamanno Salviati, who took possession of the estate in 1445. The villa and its gardens have undergone many transformations over the centuries, and changed hands several times in the last two hundred years. Villa Salviati is now the property of the Italian state, and houses the HAEU together with other services and departments of the European University Institute. 11 THE HAEU AND THE EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY INSTITUTE The Historical Archives of the European Union is part the Max Weber Programme for Post-doctoral Studies, of the European University Institute. In fact, the HAEU’s the EUI hosts a community of more than 1000 scholars establishment in Florence was closely linked to the EUI’s from over 60 countries. The intellectual climate, rich own founding research mission to study the history and in seminars, conferences and events hosting leading development of Europe. The EUI was set up in a 1972 academics and policy-makers from around the world, convention by the founding members of the European provides an ideal framework for research initiatives Communities. It opened its doors to doctoral researchers based on the historical archives. in 1976, and today offers one of the world’s largest doctoral The European University Institute is directed by Principal and postdoctoral programmes in the fields of Political and Joseph H. H. Weiler (since September 2013) and is Social Science, History, Law and Economics. Also home governed by a High Council consisting of representatives to the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies and from the Contracting States to the Institute’s Convention. 12 13 HOLDINGS AND COLLECTIONS In line with its mandate, the Historical Archives preserves and makes accessible in a central location the archival holdings of the EU Institutions. Th e HAEU also collects private papers of key European politicians and offi cials as well as the archives of pro-European movements and of organisations with a European scope. From the very fi rst fi le transfers from the European Parliament, Commission and Council starting in 1986, the Archives has steadily grown by annual tranches to its current size of 6,000 linear meters of paper fi les, comprising 4,000 linear meters from EU Institutions and 2,000 linear meters of private papers and collections. Each year the various EU Institutions and private depositors transfer approximately 12,000 fi les for integration into the Archives’ holdings. Following a recent amendment to Regulation No. 354/83, EU Institutions are now required to deposit their archives at the HAEU. Exempt from this obligation are the European Court of Justice and the European Central Bank, which may transfer fi les on a voluntary basis. More than 230,000 fi les have been inventoried in the Archives’ online database. Archival documents are made available to research and the public with an average delay of 30 years according to the EU rules on access to archives. 15 INSTITUTIONAL HOLDINGS THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT The HAEU’s collection from the European Parliament covers the period from 1951 to 1999 and includes a total of 106,000 paper files. The archives follow the evolution of the Parliament, which, in 1951, was the consultative ‘Common Assembly’ of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). In 1957 the Assembly was restructured to become the European Parliamentary Assembly. In 1962 it became known as the European Parliament. The most important group of records concerns the work of the Assembly and the Parliament before and after direct elections and contains reports and documents from parliamentary commissions, motions for resolutions, parliamentary questions, Joint meetings of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament and minutes of plenary sittings. Two smaller file groups document the work of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community from 1952 to 1958 and the preparatory work of the Ad-hoc Assembly on the Treaty for the European Political Community and a European Constitutional Charter from 1952 to 1955. Furthermore, a rather fascinating though less-known group of files concerns