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New set of archives from the European Commission accessible

Posted on 28 September 2020

The Historical Archives Service of the European Commission (SAH) recently transferred new archival material to the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in Florence, which is now accessible for digital consultation online.The new archival material enriches the current BAC (Brussels Archives of the Commission) collection, which encompass all files produced by the Commission of the European Economic Community (CCEE, 1958-1967), the EURATOM Commission (CEEA, 1958-1967) and the European Commission (CEUE, from 1967 onwards).

The following two series are now open to the public:

BAC154/1980, comprising 1690 archival files of the Commission’s service PICP, Presse et information, Communication et Porte-Parole. Files include thematic press collections (on negotiations, enlargements, etc.), proceedings of the Commission and Council meetings, agreements, speeches, as well as press reports. Covering the years 1961 to 1982, these files provide important information on the EC public information and representation, and illustrate its European communication and information policies and campaigns.

BAC 250/1980, including 1548 archival files from different services of the Commission and an important part concerning the External Relations service. Covering the years 1955 to 1986, files refer to the steel market, economic cooperation, and the enlargement negotiations in the 1980s. The files also allow to study the Commission’s relations with Member States, third countries, international organisations and private bodies, including business organizations, trade associations and various non-governmental organisations.The Commission of the European Union is the executive branch of the EU institutions and exists in its current form since the merger in 1967 of the executives of the European Community for Coal and Steel, the European Economic Community and the European Atomic Energy Community. Archival files from the European Commission are transferred to the HAEU on an annual basis from Brussels after 30 years.

Since 2018, the SAH provides access to digital copies of all paper files transferred. The HAEU database thus provides links to the electronic copies of the files for online consultation, while the original paper files are kept by the HAEU for long-term preservation.

Consult the inventories of the Commission’s holdings at the HAEU here.

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