Brussels, 05/11/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European commission will hold its next weekly meeting in Florence on 7 November, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the European University institute, and the transfer of the personal archives of Alcide de Gasperi to the Institute. Commission President Romano Prodi declared in a press release: "I underpin all the importance the Commission attaches to the development of historic archives deposited by European institutions and a certain number of other private organisations and personalities with the Institute. They are a permanent reminder of the fundamental values that lie at the basis of the Union's treaties. In that context, I want to praise the decision of the de Gaspri family to depositing with the Institute the personal archives of he who with Schuman, Adenauer, Monnet, Spaak and many others, was a "beacon" to the Union".
The Institute of Florence was founded in 1976, following an agreement concluded in 1972 between the Member States. Other than its research and teaching activities, it manages the historic archives of European institutions, with Community funding of some 1 million euro. It also manages the private archives of people and organisations involved in European construction, as well as those of the European Space Agency. On the occasion of the 25th anniversary, the Institute's President, Patrick Masterson, will sign a convention on 7 November with the daughter of Alcide de Gasperi, Maria-Romana Catti de Gasperi which will entrust with the historic archives, the deposition and management of the personal and written documents of her father.