The BEUC fonds has been deposited at the Historical Archives of the European Union (HAEU) in September 2018 under the terms of a deposit contract signed on 12 April 2018 between the 'Bureau européen des Unions des consommateurs', represented by its Director General Monique Goyens, and the HAEU (for the European University Institute), represented by its Director Dieter Schlenker.

87 boxes containing approximately 40 meters of archival material arrived at the HAEU on 18 September 2018. The material transferred was predominantly composed of paper documents (documents, brochures, and printed material). Additionally, there were 120 floppy disks, electronic files on other digital supports (CD ROM), and some files consisting almost exclusively of deteriorated fax paper from the 1990s.
The archival arrangement consisted of physical preparation of the materials for permanent retention, which included the elimination of redundant copies and the conversion of digital materials into a more permanent electronic format. The contents of the 120 floppy disks have partly been recuperated and 27 electronic files were created; legible fax paper documents have been digitalised.

The archival file arrangement respects the existing file organisation in terms of its subjects, themes, and chronology. The fonds has been described at a file level, and, frequently, at an item level depending on the case. The classification is structured according to BEUC's organisational structure (governing bodies), its fields of activities, and the timeline.

The BEUC historical archives currently consists of 930 files for a total of approximately 28 meters: 889 paper files and 40 electronic files, with a small number of files being composed of both materials. The files cover BEUC's functioning and all its activities in its various spheres of action from 1972 to 2017. BEUC’s activities include the preparation of studies, reports, and opinions, participation in advisory and expert groups, the organisation of conferences, seminars, and press conferences and events, and the implementation of teaching and training seminars.
The collection also includes 22 files regarding the creation and activities of the European Consumer Law Group (ECLG) from 1977 to 2005 as well as a rich collection of communication and corporate materials produced by BEUC over the years.
The significance of the files composing this fonds is twofold: the files reflect the various aspects of the process of implementation of BEUC's tasks and assignments and include a rich collection of documents relating to the state of knowledge, both scientific and political, of the topics covered. These documents are drawn from a number of bodies, including research institutions, consumer associations, operators, and lobby groups. The fonds is therefore a valuable source for studies, surveys, statistics, and other information regarding the various thematic areas (and products) BEUC dealt with in the context of its consumer protection and information policy.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information provided in this inventory. Please report any errors and omissions or send comments by email to archiv@eui.eu .

Ruth Ingeborg Meyer, January 2020

Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish

Electronic File, Poster, Textual