The Historical Archive of the European Union
The Historical Archive of the European Union (HAEU) is a research centre dedicated to preserving documents and studying the history of European integration. Established in 1983 as part of the European University Institute, it is based at the historic Villa Salviati in Florence, Italy.
The HAEU holds the official archives of major EU institutions alongside private collections from individuals and organisations central to European integration. Its electronic database has been available online since 1991.
What the Archive Holds
Institutional holdings span the founding communities and later bodies:
- European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), European Economic Community (EEC), and Euratom
- The European Parliamentary Assembly and the Court of Justice of the European Union
- The Economic and Social Committee, European Court of Auditors, and European Investment Bank
Private collections cover organisations including the European Space Agency, the Assembly of the Western European Union, the European Movement, and the Union of European Federalists.
The Education Programme
The HAEU's Education Project connects primary, secondary, and high-school students with the archive's holdings through two-part class programmes: a history lecture followed by an interactive workshop. It was developed in collaboration with the Former Members Association of the European Parliament.
Notable activities include A New Treaty for Europe — a competition marking the sixtieth anniversary of the Treaties of Rome in which over 330 students proposed education reform policies — and A Model for Understanding Europe, supported by Le Chiavi della Città, the Florence municipality's schools portal. In that project, students simulated a parliamentary debate on making the Nice Charter applicable to everyday life.