The Historical Archives of the European Union has just received the archives of Commissioner Ivor Richard's Cabinet during the Thorn Commission (1981-1985). These archives were processed by the Commission's Historical Archives Service. A detailed inventory is available on the Publications Office website.
The sub-fonds documents the development of the European Community's social policy and, more broadly, the social aspects of European integration in various areas such as fisheries and external relations. It details the activities of the Richard Cabinet, including its travels, meetings with various committees and working groups, and correspondence with stakeholders interested in social affairs. Some of the files concern the Commission's programs, meetings, funding, and institutional relations, as well as minutes of Council meetings.
Employment, labour and social cohesion
European social policy, initiated by the Treaty of Rome in 1957, initially aimed to harmonise health and safety standards for workers. By the 1980s, however, the European Community’s enlargement towards the south brought attention to regional disparities, stimulating a broader reflection on social policy regarding employment and labour issues.
In January 1982, faced with weak economic growth, the Commission initiated a comprehensive review of the development of its policy. Member States were asked to identify their major medium-term social priorities and expectations of the Community. Based on this information, the Commission produced a first report entitled "Growth, Employment, and Social Policy." A second report, "Developing the Community's Social Policy - Perspectives and Options," was later written and circulated within the institutions under the authority of Ivor Richard in July 1984. Known as the "Richard Report," the document discussed future directions and conditions for developing a social policy capable of addressing the major challenges of the time. The report emphasised the centrality of the health, education, and social protection sectors in the development of industrialised countries. It paid special attention to the organisation of work and employment in the context of a new dynamic of growth, and to the defense and adaptation of social protection systems in the Member States. According to the Richard Report, social cohesion—already a major priority for Member States—must also become a Community-level objective in order to develop a "European area of industrial relations."
Social partners
Another important task of the Richard cabinet was the continuation of the procedure for adopting the Vredeling Directive. In October 1980, the Commissioner for Social Affairs, Henk Vredeling, proposed a directive on "information and consultation of workers in companies with complex structures, particularly transnational ones." This proposal was supported by the Commission and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), whilst employers, the majority of employers' federations, and the Union of Industries of the European Community (UNICE) opposed it.
As Henk Vredeling’s successor, Ivor Richard was charged with defending and amending the directive when he took up his office in January 1981. After several readings, however, no consensus was reached, and the Directive was put on hold before being withdrawn by the Commission in 1998. These episodes are notably documented in the archives of Richard's cabinet.
The Richard Cabinet archives at the HAEU
The documents from the Richard Cabinet are classified into three main series reflecting the working methods of his office: the activities of the Commissioner and his office (files on visits, meetings, and correspondence); the activities of the Commission (work planning, cross-departmental work, and interinstitutional relations), and portfolios (following the organizational structure of the responsible DG).
This sub-fonds joins other archives relating to the Thorn Commission, thus completing the range of sources available for the period 1981-1985:
- The archives of President Thorn's office, along with their inventory.
- The archives of Vice President François-Xavier Ortoli's office, in charge of economic and financial affairs, as well as credit and investment, along with their inventory.
- The archives of Étienne Davignon's office, in charge of industrial affairs, energy, the Euratom Supply Agency, research and science, and the Joint Research Centre, along with their inventory.
The Richard fonds provide researchers with new insights into the evolution of European social policy.
Photo: Handshake between UNESCO official Zala L. N’Kanza, at left, and Commissioner Ivor Richard, 16 March 1981. Photo by Jean-Louis Debaize. Source: EC - service audiovisuel. © Communautés européennes, 1981