In December 1984, an agreement between the European Commission and the European University Institute (EUI) laid the foundation for what would become the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU). The HAEU has since become the EU institutions' official archival centre for the preservation and access to their historical documents. Moreover, it has expanded its remit by collecting the archives of selected organisations with a European scope, the private papers of key European actors, and oral history programmes and audiovisual materials that shed light on the history of European integration.
Forty Years of Access and Preservation: Historical Archives of the European Union was produced by the HAEU to celebrate the fortieth anniversary since its founding at the EUI in Florence, Italy. The catalogue features a selection of primary sources chosen by the archivists working in Florence and in the depositing EU institutions, bodies and agencies that illustrate the variety of material held at the HAEU informing on the history of European integration. At the same time, it offers a look behind the scenes to demonstrate the Archives’ commitment to ensuring access to these sources today and for future generations.
A limited number of printed copies of the book are available at the Archives in Villa Salviati, while a digital version may be consulted online.