The Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) celebrated its fortieth anniversary at the end of 2024. In December 1984, the European Commission and the European University Institute signed an agreement that the European institutions would deposit their historical records in Florence. This contract was the founding act of the HAEU. The Archives would be entrusted with the permanent preservation of the sources produced by the European institutions, and it would be responsible for guaranteeing public access. This exhibition offers a look behind the scenes of the Archives in Villa Salviati to showcase the work done to conserve and make accessible an important part of Europe’s documentary heritage.
Forty years after the founding of the Historical Archives, the European Commission and the European University Institute issued a new joint declaration. The document, signed at the meeting of the Interinstitutional Archives Group (IIAG) in November 2024, confirmed the unique mission of the Historical Archives of the European Union in preserving and rendering accessible to the public the historical documents of EU institutions, bodies, and agencies. It stressed the mandatory deposit of EU-institutional archives at the European University Institute for public access and scientific research, according to the thirty-year rule. At the same time it underscored the priority of digital access to the archives to promote accessibility and outreach to the widest audience possible.