The legal bases and the organization of archive services in Europe may well differ, but they all face the same challenges and the same problems, and, above all, they all have the same mission : to collect and preserve the common archival heritage of Europe, so as to create a truly European history, not just a gathering of national histories.Archive services should guarantee unrestricted access to this heritage. Eurbica's activities are directed towards the creation of this common archival heritage, and must be undertaken in the interests of all the member states of the Branch.

In order to guarantee the high quality of our growing archives, which constitute our common heritage, good records management practices must be promoted.

Sharing a common heritage, means that we must meet the widest possible range of demands for access. History must be respected. We must therefore make archives available to all those who seek access to them, so as to foster a proper understanding of historical sources, so as to make history a support rather than an obstacle for future developments, and so that we shall no longer be in danger of repeating past mistakes and misusing of the archives.

Eurbica may not have the same membership as the Council of Europe or the European Union, but these two organizations could become key partners for two reasons : first, the increasing awareness of and interest in archives within these organizations at all levels, and their ongoing thinking on the subject; and secondly, the guarantee they offer that European archivists can participate as easily as possible in the various co-operative, training and research programmes run by both organizations, while ensuring that the areas covered by these programmes are extended to archives.

Eurbica's activities take place in the context of those of other European or international organizations and bodies. Eurbica intend neither to compete with them nor to repeat their work, but rather to promote new projects, and to co-ordinate and network them both in the archival sector and in ALM (archives, libraries, museums) trans-sectoral co-operation.

Eurbica aims to be a forum for the exchange of ideas, available to all interested persons, a sort of platform for the coordination and marketing of new ideas. While preserving and safeguarding the identity of archive service, it is also essential to set up and develop relations with other organizations responsible for preserving our cultural heritage and for making it available.

To date, the working programme of Eurbica has been confined to a few precise guidelines, which take account of its limited resources, but from which the whole Eurbica community should benefit.

The purpose here is to issue a kind of guide providing practical information relating to European research and support programmes, those being launched and those still a draft stage, etc. Such a tool should enable any interested person to find information quickly on particular topics, on opportunities for co-operation, on participation conditions and on funding possibilities. This guide could be rounded off by an on-line forum which would bring partners together and to which projects could be submitted.

A questionnaire will be drawn up based on the draft questionnaire written by Mrs Daria Nalecz and recently sent to all the members of Eurbica.On the basis of the evidence gathered, a map will be drawn of existing training expertise in Europe.

This statement will also allow, if necessary, for the development of new training courses within the members of the Branch. It will also be appropriate to examine whether these courses can take advantage of the funding opportunities offered by European programmes.

This fundamental subject, of the greatest importance and topicality for all of us, will be one of the Branch's first areas for consideration. After consultation with all members of the Branch, a statement of methods and practices in this area will be set out, emphasising the appraisal criteria used, and the divergences and convergences between these countries.We should learn from this investigation what is being done by others, and how their practives can enrich and develop our own . Eventually perhaps, we can make progress towards a common basic working tool.

This task should naturally be undertaken in collaboration with the ICA/CAP committee.