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1. This Regulation seeks to ensure that documents of historical or administrative value are preserved and made available to the public wherever possible. To that end, each institution of the European Community and of the European Atomic Energy Community, as well as the European Economic and Social Committee, the Committee of Regions, agencies and similar bodies set up by the legislator (hereinafter referred to as the institutions) shall establish its historical archives and open them to the public on the terms provided for by this Regulation after the expiry of a period of 30 years starting from the date of the creation of the document.

2. For the purposes of this Regulation:

(a) ‘archives of the institutions of the European Communities’, means all those documents of whatever type and in whatever medium which have originated in or been received by one of the institutions or by their representatives or servants in the performance of their duties, which relate to the activities of the European Community and/or the European Atomic Energy Community (hereinafter referred to as the European Communities);

(b) ‘historical archives of the institutions of the European Communities’, consist of that part of the archives of the institutions of the European Communities which has been selected, on the terms laid down in Article 7, for permanent preservation.

3. All documents available to the public before expiry of the period provided for in paragraph 1 shall remain available without restriction.

4. After the expiry of the 30-year period provided for in paragraph 1, access to the historical archives shall be given to any person who applies for it and agrees to abide by internal rules established for the purpose by each institution.

5. The historical archives shall be accessible in copy form. However, the institutions may release the originals of the documents or records if the user shows a special and duly substantiated interest.