The Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) has just added a new collection of archives that will be of interest to researchers specialising in the history of environmental policies. The archives of the Pre-LIFE programmes, covering the period from 1984 to 1992, are now accessible online.
The Pre-LIFE programmes are those that preceded the 1992 Instrument Financier pour l’Environnement (LIFE). Initiated by the European Commission, they emerged in the context of growing awareness about environmental issues in developed countries. Although environmental protection was not initially among the defined competences of the Community institutions, they took a broad interpretation of the EEC Treaty to integrate these issues into economic development. In 1973, the Environment and Consumer Protection Service was created, becoming a Directorate-General in 1981. The Single European Act of 1986 formalised the environment as a Community competence, thus strengthening the legitimacy of the European Commission in this area.
The Environmental Action Programmes (EAPs), launched in 1973, aimed to improve the living environment and integrate environmental requirements into various sectors. The first EAPs focused on pollution reduction and international cooperation. Gradually, the prevention of environmental problems and impact assessment became priorities, with measures to develop clean technologies and manage waste efficiently. The programmes evolved to include the protection of sensitive areas and the integration of environmental dimensions into Community and international policies.
The so-called "pre-LIFE" programmes, known as ACE (Action Communautaire pour l'Environnement), MEDSPA (Mediterranean), NORSPA (Northern European maritime regions) and ACNAT (Actions by the Community for Nature), were launched in the 1980s to support specific environmental initiatives. These programmes funded small-scale preparatory projects, nature conservation measures, and waste management projects, paving the way for the LIFE programme that centralised and expanded these efforts from 1992. The Directorate-General for Environment, created in 1981, played a key role in coordinating these initiatives, in collaboration with other Directorates-General and Community institutions.
The pre-LIFE programmes archive sub-fonds comprises 803 files, spread over 21 linear meters. It covers all programmes from their inception to the closure of funded projects, including calls for tenders. The files are classified into several categories: drafting regulations, managing calls for tenders, project evaluations, and documents related to Advisory Committee meetings. The files of funded projects constitute the largest part of the sub-collection, classified into four major series, each corresponding to a specific programme: ACE, MEDSPA, NORSPA, and ACNAT. A detailed published inventory is available on the Publications Office website.
The integration of these archives into the HAEU’s holdings offers researchers, historians, and analysts a unique opportunity to explore the European Union's strategies for addressing environmental issues. These documents, including correspondence, funding decisions, project contracts, and evaluation reports provide essential insights into the evolution and impact of the Pre-LIFE programme. They provide a better understanding of how early environmental policies were formulated, implemented, and adjusted based on lessons learned.