Euro-Archives, May 2004

In the run up to the launch of the euro in 2002, web sites were created in profusion by a wide range of bodies and institutions to provide information and support on all aspects of the new currency. Some of these sites have continued to be maintained, others remain frozen in their 2002 state. Though the level of interest is no longer as intense, the sites still constitute a huge resource for future study and analysis. In order to ensure that this data remains accessible, the Commission has now brought together a collection of available sites under the heading Euro-Archives at http://europa.eu.int/comm/mediatheque/multimedia/archive/index.htm. Included are not just the official EU sites or those of other official bodies, but also sites established by financial institutions, the media, the private sector, political groups and individuals from inside and outside the eurozone. The spectrum of political viewpoints from anti-euro to pro-euro has also been retained. The site can be accessed by the type of source, by country or via an alphabetical index and includes over 300 websites with more than 4,500 pages in total. After the top page, the site uses frames with the navigation links on the left of the screen. A contents list is displayed in the main body of the screen with brief descriptions of the sites, copyright information and a link to the sites themselves. This is an impressive collection and well worth archiving. It will no doubt prove a valuable resource for future study of the euro.