As an archivist, you play a crucial role in preserving the history and culture of our planet. Here’s how the EU supports you.

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The Sakharov Prize, the European Parliament and human rights worldwide

2021 marks the 100th anniversary Andrej Sakharov. On this occasion, the Archives unit and the Directorate for the Library and Knowledge services jointly recall the history of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

For many years the European Parliament has championed human rights and democracy, with Members of the European Parliament holding expressing their concerns on human rights abuses in the world regardless of borders or regime. And it isn’t just sentiment: inspired by Andrei Sakharov’s constant campaigning for freedom of thought the European Parliament put this commitment into practice, founding the annual Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1988. Presented to the Sakharov Prize laureate if possible by the President of the European Parliament at a plenary session in Strasbourg, the Prize endeavours to embody Sakharov’s extraordinary work and carry his message forward to future generations.&nbsp;&nbsp;Event date: 21/05/2021

Exhibition on The Sakharov Prize, the European Parliament and human rights

2020 marks the 70th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration. On this occasion, the Archives unit, the directorate for the Library and Knowledge services and the Strasbourg liaison office jointly organise an exhibition to celebrate this significant event in the history of European integration.

On 9 May 1950, against the backdrop of the Cold War, Robert Schuman, French Minister for Foreign Affairs, issued a declaration which marked the beginning of the process of building the European Community. The aim was to establish a new supranational organisation with a view to creating a common coal and steel market between France and Germany which was also open to other European countries. It would be the European Coal and Steel Community, or ECSC. Robert Schuman was elected the first President of the European Parliamentary Assembly (EPA) on 19 March 1958; he held that post until March 1960.

Exhibition for the 70th anniversary of the Schuman Declaration

2020 marks the 20th anniversary of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. On this occasion, the Archives unit and the Directorate for the Library and Knowledge services jointly organise a digital exhibition to celebrate this unique event.

Solemnly proclaimed on 7 December 2000 at the Nice European Council, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union is now twenty years old. The European Parliament had been pushing for a document like this for a long time. In fact, MEPs felt it was important that every citizen should be able to find out about the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed to them in the European Union and its Member States, and that a system of redress should be available to raise possible violations.

The Charter was designed to be a fundamental benchmark and is the result of an entirely novel drafting method. An ad hoc body (called the ‘Convention’) made of representatives of the Heads of State or Government of the 15 Member States, of representatives of the European Parliament and of representatives of the national parliaments was indeed created with the task of drawing up a draft list of fundamental rights as they should apply to the activities of the European Union. The Convention was also open to members of many NGOs. The result is a single compilation of all the civil, political, economic and social rights enjoyed by European citizens and everyone living in European Union territory.

The human rights set out in the Charter are pivotal and inalienable. Its mission is to enhance protection as society evolves, accompanying social progress and scientific and technological developments. The rights are grouped according to several essential principles: human dignity, fundamental freedoms, equality among people, solidarity, citizenship and justice. The Charter also aims to create an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe so they can share a future based on common values. Since 2009, fundamental rights have been elevated to treaty level, as the Treaty of Lisbon makes reference to the Charter of Fundamental Rights. It is annexed to the treaties and is now applied by the European Union courts.

Exhibition on The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union turns

2020 marks the 30th anniversary of German reunification. On this occasion, the Archives unit and the Directorate for the Library and Knowledge services jointly organise a digital exhibition to celebrate this unique event in European integration history.

German unification was achieved on 3 October 1990. The course of European integration was profoundly changed. In the face of these political events, and despite the speed of the process, the European Parliament played an important role and increased its involvement. For several months, it provided a forum for European leaders that were responsible for preparing German unification. Mindful of the political, economic and institutional consequences of this historic moment for the European Community, Members supported German reunification by taking a number of positions in favour of democratisation and respect for human rights in Central and Eastern Europe.

Exhibition for the 30th anniversary of the German Reunification

Between 23 and 26 May, European citizens will be called upon to cast their votes for their representatives in the European Parliament. 
The elections this year coincide with the 40th anniversary of the first elections to the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage, which were held in June 1979 in the nine countries that were then members of the European Community. The Historical Archives of the European Parliament, guardians of the Parliament’s memory, are celebrating this 40th anniversary by sharing online some of its collection of the institutional electoral posters that were produced between 1979 and 2014 to inform European citizens about the importance of voting.

European elections - Archives of the European Parliament

Alain POHER during a session in Strasbourg, France, January 21, 1964.

JEAN FOHRMANN during a session in Strasbourg, France, 26 November 1964.

Hans FURLER,  President of the Parliamentary Assembly from 18 March 1960 to 27 March 1962

2021 portraits gallery of EP Presidents

Gustave ARLIC and Wilhem HAHN during a CEE parlementary commission in Brussels, Belgium , June 30, 1964.

Agriculture Committee. Visit of the agricultural consortium of Piacenza, Italy, June 23, 1965

Parliamentary Committee on EU - Greece relations in presence of the European Parliament president Emile Vanrullen in Germany, Berlin July 15-17, 1965

President of the EP Walter BEHRENDT welcomes the President of the France's National Assembly Achille PERETTI at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 5,1972.

President of the EP Walter BEHRENDT awards a medal to the President of the France's National Assembly Achille PERETTI in Strasbourg, France, July 5,1972

The MEP Alain POHER welcomes the President of the France's National Assembly Achille PERETTI (R) at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 5,1972

The President of the France's National Assembly Achille PERETTI arrives at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 7, 1972.

The President of the EP Walter BEHRENDT (L), the MEP Alain POHER (2R), during a visit of the President of the France's National Assembly Achille PERETTI (C) at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 5,1972

Session in Strasbourg, France, April 1974.

Archives pictures:Date: Unknown Nigeria - Ext. left - ROCHEREAU, Henri - European Development Commissioners - 1962-1970

Pierre PFLIMLIN - EP President meets with journalist at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in June 1985

Archives Photo

MEP Rudi ARNDT at the EP in Strasbourg in May 1989

Lord PLUMB - EP President meets visitors at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in May 1989

Lord PLUMB - EP President meets with former french President Valery GISCARD D'ESTAING at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in May 1989

Lunch with ex Rugby Player Tony O'REILLY at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in May 1989

MEP Simone MARTIN at the EP in Strasbourg in May 1989

Lord PLUMB - EP President meets Mr WENDLING at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in May 1989

Interview at the EP in Strasbourg in May 1989

MEP Nicolas ESTGEN meets with Luxembourg Delegation at the EP in Strasbourg in May 1989

Meeting at the EP in Strasbourg in May 1989

Press Conference of Egon A. KLEPSCH - EP President at the EP in Strasbourg

Richard Madron SELIGMAN, Lord PLUMB, Lieselotte SEIBEL-EMMERLING

Meeting on ' Animal Welfare ' at the EP in Strasbourg in May 1989

MEP Hemmo MUNTINGH at the EP in Strasbourg in May 1989

Lord PLUMB - EP President meets with Italian EPP MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg in May 1989

Archive footage of the first European elections in Denmark in 1979.

First European Elections in Denmark (1979)

In her keynote speech at the 'AI in Archives' conference, Director of Innovation and Central Services Susanne Altenberg delves into how using AI can revolutionise the way we generate ideas, develop products, optimize processes, and even redefine the boundaries of human potential.

AI in Archives: AI for harnessing innovation

On Thursday 16 November 2023, the conference 'AI in Archives' organised by the Archives of the European Parliament took place in Luxembourg. Speakers from universities, national archives and EU institutions presented their innovative approaches to using AI in the preservation and study of historical memory.

Conference: AI in Archives

Dr Ludovic Delépine, Head of the European Parliament Archives Unit, explores how we can leverage AI to enhance our understanding of the world's events and the lessons they hold in his keynote speech at the 'AI in Archives' conference.

AI in Archives: Between Education and Awareness

With the help of AI tools, this tutorial video explains how to search and analyse documents of the Archives of the European Parliament. Discover historical documents from 1952 onwards and trace parliamentary activities from the ECSC Common Assembly to the elected European Parliament.

Archives Content Analysis Dashboard

On Wednesday 11 October 2023, the event of the donation and handover of the original document Proposal of a Manifesto to the Archives of the European Parliament took place in the EP Library Reading Room in Brussels. In the presence of the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, the Spinelli Group entrusted the Proposal of a Manifesto in its first English edition to the European Parliament Archives in Luxembourg.

Event of the donation of the Proposal of a Manifesto to the European Parliament Archives

On the occasion of the transfer of the Proposal of a Manifesto for a Federal Europe: sovereign, social and ecological to the Archives of the European Parliament, this video recalls the history of Altiero Spinelli, the original 'Ventotene Manifesto', and the story of European Federalism including the modern Spinelli Group.

The Ventotene Manifesto

With German subtitles - Collecting, cataloguing, organising and promoting historical facts are the main activities aimed at establishing and maintaining our collective memory. Welcome to the world of the European Parliament's archives.

DE subt - Clip: Collective memory

Interview with Lord Henry PLUMB, EP President (1987-1989) on the Red Baron versus Blue Knight.

DE Subtitles - The story of the EP by its Presidents: Lord Henry PLUMB, EP President 1987 - 1989 - 2. Red Baron versus Blue Knight

Collecting, cataloguing, organising and promoting historical facts are the main activities aimed at establishing and maintaining our collective memory. Welcome to the world of the European Parliament's archives.

Clip: Collective memory

Collecter, inventorier, organiser et promouvoir les faits historiques sont des activités majeures qui visent à établir et maintenir notre mémoire collective. Bienvenue dans le monde des archives du Parlement européen.

Mémoire collective

This tutorial video (in German) explains how to use the EP Archives Unit Parliamentary Questions Dashboard. This Dashboard makes over 25,000 parliamentary questions from the Archives of the European Parliament accessible to you. These questions have been asked by Members of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community and MEPs to other European institutions. The Dashboard lets you search these questions, and analyse the topics that have affected Members over twenty years of parliamentary activity from 1952 to 1980.

DE Version - Parliamentary Questions Dashboard - Tutorial

This tutorial video (in French) explains how to use the EP Archives Unit Parliamentary Questions Dashboard. This Dashboard makes over 25,000 parliamentary questions from the Archives of the European Parliament accessible to you. These questions have been asked by Members of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community and MEPs to other European institutions. The Dashboard lets you search these questions, and analyse the topics that have affected Members over twenty years of parliamentary activity from 1952 to 1980.

FR Version- Parliamentary Questions Dashboard - Tutorial

This tutorial video explains how to use the EP Archives Unit Parliamentary Questions Dashboard. This Dashboard makes over 25,000 parliamentary questions from the Archives of the European Parliament accessible to you. These questions have been asked by Members of the Common Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community and MEPs to other European institutions. The Dashboard lets you search these questions, and analyse the topics that have affected Members over twenty years of parliamentary activity from 1952 to 1980.

Parliamentary Questions Dashboard - Tutorial

This tutorial video explains how to search documents of the Archives of the European Parliament. Making almost half a million documents from 1952 to 1979 accessible to you, this tool helps you explore nearly 70 years of European democracy.

European Parliament Archives Dashboard

European Parliament Archives Dashboard - FR Subtitles

European Parliament Archives Dashboard - DE Subtitles

On 7th October 2022, the Nobel Peace Prize committee awards the russian human rights organisation Memorial. In december 2009, the European Parliament awarded Memorial with the Sakharov Prize. This archive footages present Oleg ORLOV, Sergei KOVALEV and Lyudmila ALEXEYEVA, representatives of Russian civil rights defence organization Memorial, who have been awarded European Parliament's 2009 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

2,507 results

Alain POHER during a session in Strasbourg, France, January 21, 1964.

JEAN FOHRMANN during a session in Strasbourg, France, 26 November 1964.

2021 portraits gallery of EP Presidents

Gustave ARLIC and Wilhem HAHN during a CEE parlementary commission in Brussels, Belgium , June 30, 1964.

Agriculture Committee. Visit of the agricultural consortium of Piacenza, Italy, June 23, 1965

Agriculture Committee. Visit of the agricultural consortium of Piacenza, Italy, June 23, 1965

Agriculture Committee. Visit of the agricultural consortium of Piacenza, Italy, June 23, 1965

Parliamentary Committee on EU - Greece relations in presence of the European Parliament president Emile Vanrullen in Germany, Berlin July 15-17, 1965

President of the EP Walter BEHRENDT welcomes the President of the France's National Assembly Achille PERETTI at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 5,1972.

President of the EP Walter BEHRENDT awards a medal to the President of the France's National Assembly Achille PERETTI in Strasbourg, France, July 5,1972

The MEP Alain POHER welcomes the President of the France's National Assembly Achille PERETTI (R) at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 5,1972

The President of the France's National Assembly Achille PERETTI arrives at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 7, 1972.

The President of the EP Walter BEHRENDT (L), the MEP Alain POHER (2R), during a visit of the President of the France's National Assembly Achille PERETTI (C) at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, July 5,1972

Session in Strasbourg, France, April 1974.

Session in Strasbourg, France, April 1974.

Session in Strasbourg, France, April 1974.

Session in Strasbourg, France, April 1974.

Session in Strasbourg, France, April 1974.