Archives
The Council Archives' mission is to collect, describe and preserve document files related to the activities of the European Council and the Council of the European Union in order to guarantee their accessibility.
Archiving is the final stage of the file management process, but the work of the Archives goes far beyond the simple handling of documents. It involves a variety of other lesser-known tasks and responsibilities, which you can find out more about below.
Collections and access
As well as paper documents, the Council Archives deal with digital files, photographs, microfilm/microfiche and audio-visual media.
They digitise important records of the past, make more than 10 million pages of documents available and ensure that citizens have access to these records.
Promoting the archival holdings
The Archives’ outreach initiatives are focused on promoting awareness of the European Council and the Council of the European Union, their mission and history. Through the documents they preserve and the initiatives they organise, the Archives highlight the contribution of the two institutions to the process of European integration.
Oral history
The Archives are repositories of multimedia records too. The 'oral history' project collects interviews with personalities who have contributed to the development and history of the EU institutions.
