The Historical Archives has completed the inventory for the collection of the Confédération Européenne des Entrepreneurs de Travaux Techniques Agricoles, Ruraux et Forestiers (CEETTAR)— the European Confederation of Technical, Agricultural, Rural, and Forestry Contractors. The files are now available for online consultation and provide a unique testimonial to the historical development of agricultural and forestry contracting across Europe.
A bridge between EU authorities and rural workers
Established in 1983 and based in Brussels, CEETTAR serves today as an essential interest group representing approximately 150,000 companies and nearly 600,000 workers. The organisation focuses on land-based contractors—specialised professionals providing technical services, advanced machinery, and skilled labour to the agricultural sector.
Throughout its history, CEETTAR has played a pivotal role in shaping European agricultural policy by acting as a representative bridge between EU authorities, farmers, machinery producers, and rural workers. Its collaborative efforts with major actors like the Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations and the General Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives (for farmers) and the European Agricultural Machinery Industry Association have been central to this mission. Notably, since its association with the European Federation of Food, Agriculture, and Tourism Trade Unions at the beginning of 2000s, and its merger with the European Network of Forest Entrepreneurs in 2014, it further expanded its influence into the sphere of social dialogue.
The records, primarily in French, German, Dutch, and English, provide comprehensive documentation of a wide range of activities. Specifically, they focus on training and alignment through extensive European Commission-funded programs designed to help contractors in Central and Eastern Europe comply with the EU Acquis; on research, through surveys on agricultural work mechanisms conducted at the Commission's request; and on international events organized to foster communication as well as technological and structural development within the sector.
The collection, comprising approximately 1,000 dossiers, also offers significant insights into the precursors of CEETTAR. This includes documents from the Union Internationale des Entrepreneurs de Travaux Agricoles and the Dutch-based Internationale Unie van de nationale organisaties van Agrarische Loonbedrijven. Both date back to the 1960s and formed the core body leading to the foundation of CEETTAR in 1983.
While many original documents remain under the standard 30-year rule for public access, detailed archival descriptions are now available online. These descriptions serve as vital milestones for researchers investigating the evolution of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the history of rural labour.
The CEETTAR Funds is preserved at the HAEU under the terms of a deposit contract signed between CEETTAR, represented by its then Secretary-General Jérôme Roche, and the HAEU, represented by its Director Dieter Schlenker, on 15 June 2020.
Consult the CEETTAR inventory in the HAEU online database.
Photo: Harvest machinery, selection from album, HAEU CEETTAR.E.01-948.