The inventory to the archival fonds of the Council of Ministers for the year 1969 (CM2/1969) has been finalised and is now available on the website of the Historical Archives of the European Union.

The Council of the European Union is part of the EU legislature and represents the executives of EU Member States. The Council developed from the first Special Council of Ministers of the European Coal and Steel Community of 1951. Under the Treaties of Rome in 1957, the Councils of the European Economic Community and of the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or Euratom) were added. With the Merger Treaty of 1967 the three bodies were combined into a single Council of Ministers.

The 1,415 files of 1969 which are now available for research reflect the reform in agricultural policy following the publishing by the EC Commissioner for Agriculture, Sicco Mansholt of a memorandum which laid the foundations for a new social and structural policy for agriculture in Europe (Mansholt Plan) in December 1968. Numerous documents concern the application of import and export certificates and agricultural prices. The harmonisation of legislative provisions and rules in the field of agriculture by the national administrations are listed for the various agricultural products regulated by the European Communities.

Also, the European Communities’ food aid programme for developing countries and relations with Third countries, African countries, Commonwealth and Mediterranean countries is well documented in the fonds. The archives also shed light on developments in the Customs Union, modifications to the tariff regulations in force and on various issues with regard to the evolving nuclear energy. The Communities’ work related to social reform in fields of salaries, social security and professional training complete this fonds.

Access the Council archives inventory for 1969