The Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) has made the first digitised archival files from the European Environment Agency (EEA) available online. Covering the period from 1989 to 1995, these records document the establishment and early development of the Agency and the evolution of European environmental cooperation from 1989 onwards.
The records provide insights into issues that are highly relevant today, including climate change, air quality, waste management, coastal zone protection, and water quality. By making these materials accessible online, the HAEU and the EEA support research into the history of European environmental policy.
This digitisation is also in line with the recommendations of the Sustainable Archives and Greener Approaches (SAGA) project, of which the HAEU is a partner, promoting more sustainable practices for archival preservation and access.
The first release includes records relating to the founding of the Agency and the work of its Management Board. The digitised material comprises Management Board minutes, work programmes, correspondence, reports, documents produced by the task force that established the Agency between 1991 and 1993, and many other primary sources.
About the European Environment Agency at the HAEU
The EEA, a decentralised agency of the European Union with its headquarters in Copenhagen, was established by Council Regulation (EEC) No 1210/90 of 7 May 1990 which came into force at the end of 1993. The Agency provides reliable information on the environment to 32 member and 8 cooperating countries, coordinates the European Environment Information and Observation Network (Eionet) and maintains close ties with national environmental agencies and other national entities responsible for national environmental matters. The EEA made its first deposit to the HAEU in 2022, and its fonds contain records dating from 1987 to 2011.
Search the EEA holdings here.