Since the very first file transfers from the European Parliament, the Commission, and the Council back in 1986, the Archives has grown steadily by annual shipments to its current size in 2024 of over 9000 linear metres of paper files, comprising approximately 7500 linear metres from EU institutions, and 2000 linear metres of private papers and collections. On 27 September 2004, a joint declaration by Romano Prodi, then President of the European Commission, and Yves Mény, then President of the EUI, recognised the HAEU’s mandate to collect and preserve the private archives of individuals who have played a role in the history of European integration, including the founders of the European Communities, officials of EU institutions and European organisations.
An important feature of the preservation of these documents has been the transition to digital formats. At the HAEU, digital tools were embraced early on. From 1997, the Archives’ website featured a digital interface for searching inventories, marking a significant step in making archival materials more accessible to researchers and the public. Modern digitisation workstations at the HAEU further exemplify this transition, enabling more efficient management, access and preservation of records. To address challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the HAEU implemented digitisation on demand. About 30 per cent of the HAEU’s holdings are now consultable online. Today, forty years after the Archives' founding, the arrival of the first digital-born documents reflects the evolving nature of archival work and its integration with modern technology.
The European institutions and the HAEU have built a solid digitisation and preservation programme to make the Historical Archives’ vast collections more accessible. Since 2012, the HAEU has digitised approximately 30 per cent of its holdings, amounting to more than 1.5 million documents. To keep up with the growing volume, the Archives is now focusing on enlarging its storage infrastructure to handle the significant digital transfers coming from EU institutions. The Digital Archives Management System guarantees long-term safeguarding of digital assets. It uses advanced methodologies and preservation planning strategies to handle the risks of data loss, ensuring that digital records stay accessible into the future. The digitisation programme of the EU institutions and the HAEU is more than just a technical project; it reflects our long-term commitment to preserving Europe’s historical memory for future generations
- Samir Musa, Digital Archivist, HAEU
The archivists that work at the HAEU play a crucial role in preserving and managing the primary sources that form the foundation of historical research. Before the establishment of the Archives, a consultancy firm was asked by the European Commission to evaluate its operations and staffing needs. In their 1977 report, various scenarios for staffing were discussed, including a modest setup with one archivist and up to two assistants. Today, the HAEU employs nine archivists. They are a bridge between the Historical Archives’ primary sources and the research community. Working closely with their counterparts at the EU institutions and agencies, or liaising with private depositors and their families, they oversee the intake, description, and inventory of new deposits. They prepare research guides, consult with users on fonds relevant to their research, suggest search methods, and engage in outreach activities with the general public, academia and schools.
Credits images: Archival staff of the HAEU, photograph. HAEU.
One of the ways in which the HAEU is committed to the latest developments in the field is through its programme of archivist training. Photographs from 1994 and 2024 illustrate the HAEU’s long-standing practice of training new generations of archivists in the HAEU. Trainees, working alongside experienced professionals, gain practical experience in the organisation, description and long-term preservation of archival documents. They also play a role in communicating this European heritage to the public. This ongoing collaboration helps maintain the HAEU as a vibrant repository of European history.
Credits images: Trainees at the HAEU, photograph, 1994. Courtesy of Barbara Ciomei, HAEU. Trainees at the HAEU, photograph, 2024. HAEU.
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