Meeting of the Reconciliation of European Histories Group

On February the 28th, the Reconciliation of European Histories group had its first meeting of the New Year. At the meeting, group members as well as guests representing NGOs were addressed by Hungarian MEP Ágnes Hankiss on the condition of Member State archives related to the repressive apparatuses of former dictatorships and the role which the EU plays in preserving such archives. Mrs. Hankiss, the founder of an archive research institute in Hungary, described the complex differences in the legislation on archives in MS and the better and worse practices applied. She also made an overview of the existing EU documents on EU institutions archives and the efforts to promote the EU institutions archival procedures in MS. During the discussion Members expressed their opinion that the EU should have a greater say in how such archives are preserved, kept, and how the information is made accessible for researchers and the larger public, as auch archives are a valuable source for the common history ofEurope. Also, Members suggested that the issue of accessibility of archives in candidate countries should be addressed in future EU accession negotiations. The group decided to organize a hearing on the state of archives and the best practices in the MS in the latter part of the year.

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Meeting of the Reconciliation of European Histories Group

On May 10th, the Reconciliation of European Histories group had its group meeting at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. At the meeting, the group discussed plans for the upcoming EPP hearing in the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) on the December 22nd 2010 Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and to the Council: The memory of the crimes committed by totalitarian regimes in Europe. 

Meeting of the Reconciliation of European Histories Group

On February 2nd, the Reconciliation of European Histories group in the European Parliament held its fourth meeting. Guest speakers at the meeting were Dr. Pavel Žáček, the Advisor to the Director of The Institute for the Study of Totalitarian Regimes, Prague, Czech Republic, his colleague Dr. Neela Winkelmann-Heyrovská and former Member of Swedish Parliament Mr. Göran Lindblad. The speakers discussed with the group their work related to the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism and the so called Prague Process.

Meeting of the Reconciliation of European Histories Group

On September 22 2010 the informal group of MEPs in the European Parliament ‘Reconciliation of European Histories’ held its group meeting in Strasbourg, France. The group, whose main objective is “to reconcile the different historical narratives in Europe and to consolidate them into a united European story,” met with Chair of the Committee on Culture and Education in the European Parliament, MEP Doris Pack. The meeting centred on the topic of how to promote in the European population a better understanding and more knowledge of the most tragic pages of the 20th century.