Archival Legislation 1981–1994/ Législation Archivistique 1981–1994: Albania - Kenya [Reprint 2016 ed.] 9783110965759, 9783598212406


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Table of contents :
Executive Committee of the International Council on Archives
Correspondents of Archivum
Preface
Introduction
Archival legislation in the former volumes of ARCHIVUM
Albania
Algeria
Andorra
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Benin
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Cape Verde
Chile
China
Colombia
Congo
Cook Islands
Costa Rica
Côte D’Ivoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
European Union
Finland
France
Gabon
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Honduras
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Ireland
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Kenya
Subject Index
Recommend Papers

Archival Legislation 1981–1994/ Législation Archivistique 1981–1994: Albania - Kenya [Reprint 2016 ed.]
 9783110965759, 9783598212406

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ARCHIVUM Vol. XL

ARCHIVUM

ARCHIYUM

INTERNATIONAL REVIEW ON ARCHIVES published by the INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON ARCHIVES with the financial aid of UNESCO

REVUE INTERNATIONALE DES ARCHIVES publiée par le CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL DES ARCHIVES avec le concours financier de l'UNESCO

Vol. XL

Vol. XL

INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON ARCHIVES CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL DES ARCHIVES Vol. XL

Archival Legislation

1981 -1994 Législation Archivistique

1981 -1994 Albania - Kenya

K-G-Saur

München • New Providence • London • Paris 1995

ARCHIVUM International Review on Archives/Revue internationale des Archives Editorial Board /Comité de Rédaction Editor-in-chief / Rédacteur en chef: M. André Vanrie, Archives générales du Royaume, Bruxelles Assistant Editor / Rédacteur en chef adjoint: Mr David Leitch, Public Record Office, London Members / Membres: Mrs Rosana de Andrés Diaz, Archivos Estatales, Madrid Mme Antonella Mulé, Ufficio centrale per i beni archivistici, Roma Mr Leopold Auer, Österreichisches Staatsarchiv, Wien Correspondence on editorial matters should be directed to / Toute correspondance concernant la rédaction de la revue est à adresser à: M. André Vanrie, Rédacteur en chef d'Archivum, Archives générales du Royaume, 2 rue de Ruysbroeck, B-1000 Bruxelles, BELGIQUE. Correspondence on commercial matters (subscription, advertisement, etc.) should be directed to / Toute correspondance concernant les questions commerciales (abonnements, publicité, etc.) est à adresser à: K. G. Saur Verlag GmbH, Postfach 701620, D-81316 München, GERMANY. Correspondence on ICA general matters should be directed to the Secretary general of the ICA / Toute correspondance relative à des questions générales touchent le CIA est à adresser au Secrétaire général du CIA: M. Charles Kecskeméti, Secrétariat du CIA, 60 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, F-75003 Paris, FRANCE.

Die Deutsche Bibliothek - CIP-Einheitsaufnahme Archival legislation 1981 - 1994 = Législation archivistique 1981 - 1994 / International Council on Archives. - München ; New Providence ; London ; Paris : Saur. NE: International Council on Archives; Législation archivistique 1981 1994 Albania - Kenya. - 1995 (Archivum ; 40) ISBN 3-598-21240-2 NE: GT © Printed on acid-free paper Copyright 1995 by K. G. Saur Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, München A Reed Reference Publishing Company Printed in the Federal Republic of Germany All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without permission in writing from the publisher. Photocomposition by Graph. Großbetrieb Pustet, Regensburg Printed and bound by Graph. Großbetrieb Pustet, Regensburg ISSN 0066-6793 ISBN 3-598-21240-2

V

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON ARCHIVES COMITÉ EXÉCUTIF DU CONSEIL INTERNATIONAL DES ARCHIVES Président / President : Vice-Présidents/ Vice-Presidents:

Membres élus/ Elected Members

Treasurer/Trésorier Secretary general/ Secrétaire général

M. Jean-Pierre WALLOT, Archiviste national, Archives nationales du Canada, OTTAWA, Canada Commission on Archivai Development/Commission pour le Développement des Archives (ICA/CAD) Mrs Edwina PETERS, Director, National Archives, PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago Programme Management Commission/Commission pour l'Administration du Programme (ICA/CPM) Mme Margarita VAZQUEZ de PARGA, Directora de Archivos Estatales, MADRID, Espagne Programme Support Commission/Commission pour le Soutien du Programme (ICA/CSP) Mr Erik NORBERG, Director General, Riksarkivet, STOCKHOLM, Sweden International Conference of the Round Table on Archives/Conférence International de la Table Ronde des Archives (CITRA) Mrs Trudy HUSKAMP PETERSON, Acting Archivist of the United States, National Archives and Records Administration, WASHINGTON, United States Host of the next International Congress on Archives/Hôte du prochain Congrès International des Archives Mr WANG Gang, Director general, State Archives Bureau, BEIJING, China Africa and Arab countries/Afrique et pays arabes Mrs Comfort A. UKWU, Director, National Archives of Nigeria, LAGOS, Nigeria Asia and Oceania/ Asie et Océanie Mr Noerhadi Magetsari, Director, National Archives, JAKARTA, Indonesia Europe and North America/Europe et Amérique du Nord M. Christoph GRAF, Directeur, Archives fédérales suisses, BERNE, Suisse Latin America and the Caribbean/Amérique latine et Caraïbes Mr Jorge PALACIOS PRECIADO, Director, Archivo Nacional de Colombia, SANTA FE DE BOGOTA, Colombia Representive of category B members (Professional Associations of Archivists) /Représentant des membres de la catégorie B (Associations professionnelles d'archivistes) Mr Kenneth HALL, County Archivist, CHELMSFORD, United Kingdom Representive of category C delegates (Institutional Members)/Représentant des membres de la catégorie C (Membres institutionnels) Mr Fritz LENDENMANN, Stadtarchiv Zürich, ZÜRICH, Suisse Mr Klaus OLDENHAGE, Bundesarchiv, KOBLENZ, Germany M. Charles KECSKEMÉTI, Conseil International des Archives, 60 rue des Francs-Bourgeois, F-75003 PARIS, France

VI

CORRESPONDANTS D'ARCHIVUM CORRESPONDENTS OF ARCHIVUM AFRIQUE SU SUD: vacat ALBANIE: M. Vehbi AGOLLI ALLEMAGNE: Mr Peter DOHMS ANGOLA: Mr O. M. Fernandes GUIMARAES ARABIE SAOUDITE: Mr Khadran Farraj AL-DAMOUK ARGENTINE: Prof. Liliana R. MÉNDEZ AUSTRALIE: Mr Michael PIGOTT AUTRICHE: Dr. Leopold AUER BAHAMAS: Ms D. Gail SAUNDERS BANGLADESH: Dr K. M. KARIM BELGIQUE: Mme Micheline SOENEN BOLIVIE: Mme Florencia BALLIVIAN DE ROMERO BOTSWANE: Ms T. M. LEKAUKAU BRÉSIL: M. Victor FONSECA BULGARIE: Mme Liliana VANOVA et M. Bojidar EVTIMOV BURUNDI: M. Libère BANZIRA CHINE: Mr Guo SHUYIN CHYPRE: Ms Efrosyni PARPARINOU COSTA RICA: Sra. Ana Virginia GARCIA DE BENEDICTIS CONGO: M. Jean-Pierre BITOUMBOU CÔTE D'IVOIRE: M. Kouassi MISSA CUBA: Dr. Luis FRADES SANTOS DANEMARK: Mr Michael H. GELTING ÉMIRATS ARABES UNIS: Dr. Abdullah ABU EZZAH ESPAGNE: Mrs Rosana de ANDRÉS ÉTATS-UNIS D'AMÉRIQUE: Ms. Marjorie BARRITT FINLANDE: Mr Eljas ORRMAN FRANCE: M. Michel DUCHEIN GRÈCE: Mme Marianna KOLYVA-KARALEKA GUINÉE-BISSAU: Mr Carlos ALFREDO GUYANE: Mr Silvius WILSON HAÏTI: M. Jean-Wilfried BERTRAND HONGRIE: Dr. Ivan BORSA INDE: Mr S. N. SHARMA INDONÉSIE: Mr Noerhadi MAGETSARI IRAK: Dr. Zeki JAZAIRI IRAN: Mr M. R. ABBASSI ISLANDE: Mr Olafur ASGEIRSSON ISRAËL: Dr. Michael HEYMAN ITALIE: Mme Antonella MULÈ JAPON: Mr Masatoh KODAMA

VII

KENYA: Mr M. MUSEMBI LIECHTENSTEIN: Dr. Alois OSPELT LUXEMBOURG: M. Guy MAY MADAGASCAR: Mme RAZOHARINORO MALAWI: Ms L. CHIOTHA MALAYSIA: Mrs Satinam Bt. Mohd. RIJAL MAROC: M. M'Hammed BOUCHENTOUF MAURITANIE: M. Moktar OULD HEMEINA MAURITIUS: Mr Paul H. SOOPRAYEN MONACO: M. Régis LÉCUYER NÉPAL: Mr B. D. DANGOL NORVÈGE: Mr Tor BREIVIK NOUVELLE ZÉLANDE: Ms Kathryn PATTERSON PAKISTAN: Mr Fazal AHMAD PAPOUASIE-NOUVELLE GUINÉE: Ms Judith S. HORNABROOK PAYS-BAS: Drs. J. FOLKERTS POLOGNE: Mme Barbara KUBICZEK PORTUGAL: M. Zacarias RITO DIAS ROUMANIE: M. Ion MUNTANEU ROYAUME UNI: Dr. David A. LEITCH RUSSIE: M. A. V. ELPATJEVSKIJ SAINT-MARIN: Dr. Cristoforo BUSCARINI SÉNÉGAL: M. Saliou MBAYE RÉPUBLIQUE SLOVAQUE: M. Peter KARTOUS SOUDAN: Mrs Khadiga OSMAN ZAROG SUÈDE: Mrs Agneta MANN SUISSE: M. Josef ZWICKER TCHAD: M. Youssouf ABDOULAYE RÉPUBLIQUE TCHÈQUE: M. Oldrich SLADEK THAÏLANDE: Ms Kanittha WONGPANIT TUNISIE: M. Moncef FAKHFAKH URUGUAY: Dr. Luis Alberto MUSSO VATICAN: R. P. Josef METZLER ZAÏRE: M. LUMENGA NESO Kiobe ZAMBIE: Mr Mark F. MBEWE ZIMBABWE: Mr Ian J. JOHNSTONE

VIII

PREFACE Why does archives legislation continue to be an issue of active interest within the profession? First, in many parts of the world relationships between the public and private sectors are rapidly changing. The balance found by many states over the last half century has been questioned in terms of the emphasis that a nation places on government initiative or private enterprise. Within the public sector, current theories of public administration have favoured a reduction of central regulation and control. The former balance within states was reflected in consistent legislation; those states establishing a different relationship between the public and private sector, and within the public sector, seek to update legislation and regulation to match their new model. Secondly, values continue to evolve related to issues of access to information and protection of privacy. Access to information has been associated with democratic values tempered by the minimum confidentiality required to safeguard security and nurture decision-making. The protection of personal privacy, particularly in the face of intrusive technology, has become a common issue of debate among opinion leaders. Access and privacy issues are fundamental to archives legislation. Thirdly, some jurisdictions have identified a convergence of information and records legislation issues. As societies have developed a response to the information society growing around them, laws have been developed relating to archives, libraries, cinematheques, computer tape libraries and access issues. Although each law may have developed somewhat in isolation, states subsequently attempt to seek a level of consistency in definition and process. Fourthly, rapidly changing technology has quickly made many laws difficult to apply because of obsolete language or concepts. Legal deposit requirements, for example, have sometimes been expressed in language which does not capture the most recent products of the information publication industry. The renewal of legislation to take technology into account, and to seek language which is generic enough to grow with unforseen technological developments, has also focused attention on this field. Fifthly, the last decade of the twentieth century has seen an explosion in the number of new evolving states, each seeking to establish a new legal framework for their society. It is this last factor which has been most fundamental in rivetting our attention at this time. Many of the themes that have led to a need for archives legislation around the world are based in fundamental, universal questions. How to protect privacy? How to provide access while protecting privacy? How to craft legislation that will survive the rapid advances of technology? But when the universal questions move into the realm of legislative solutions, common answers are not always found. Legislation is, by its very nature, rooted in the political, cultural and social structure of the country. Many of the legislative solutions found in one state cannot be transplanted into the different earth found elsewhere. Each jurisdiction needs to craft solutions that respect the precedent or the code in which it must survive. For two reasons, however, it is useful for organisations such as the I C A to address legal matters. First, there are enough common elements in the response to common questions to make joint international efforts worthwhile. The concern, for example, for data protection expressed by opinion leaders and law makers in one state is very soon shared with peers in another state. Political agendas cross borders through common international meetings, publications, and, increasingly, through television news broadcasts.

IX Secondly, a large number of states are developing new archives legislation or renewing an archives act which no longer responds to modern requirements. Developing countries, countries emerging from within larger entities, and countries developing new political and treaty relationships with their nearest neighbours have all found the present to be an appropriate time for renewal of archives legislation. Lee McDonald Chairman ICA/P-LM

ARCHIVUM Vol. XXXIX ERRATUM p. 154 Une omission s'est glissée dans le texte de la première intervention de la première séance du Xlle Congrès International des Archives (Montréal, 1992). Il y a lieu à la page 154 des Actes du Congrès (ARCHIVUM XXXIX) de remplacer le cinquième paragraphe: This subject has been taught for any decades in the Italian universities and in the Archival schools under the title of "Archivistica generale" (General archives science). par le paragraphe suivant: This subject has been taught for any decades in the Italian universities and in the Archival schools under the title of "Archivistica speciale" (Special archives science). Pure archival theory, and especially the "philosophy" which it based on, is instead the principal part of "Archivistica generale" (General archives science). La Rédaction d'ARCHIVUM s'excuse du contresens qui en est résulté dans l'intervention du professeur Elio Lodolini.

X

INTRODUCTION L'évolution archivistique contemporaine et la complexité croissante de notre profession dans ses divers aspects, de même que les bouleversements géopolitiques de ces dernières années, exigeaient un état de la question, rendu nécessaire par les douze années qui nous séparent du dernier volume d'ARCHIVUM consacré au même sujet. Faire le point, et non proposer des réflexions, car publications et colloques se sont succédés ces derniers temps1 et il n'entrait pas dans nos attributions de tirer des leçons et de faire une synthèse, mais de mettre à la disposition de la communauté archivistique internationale la plus grande partie des textes législatifs adoptés depuis 1980, ainsi que les volumes précédents d'ARCHIVUM l'avaient fait2. Dès le Congrès de Montréal en 1992, une enquête générale a été entreprise à cet effet auprès de toutes les directions nationales d'archives ou auprès des correspondants attitrés d'ARCHIVUM. Elle retenait les dispositions suivantes: 1. Définition juridique des archives. Protection légale des archives tant publiques que privées (vente, exportation). 2. Structure et attributions de la direction générale ou de tout autre organe supérieur chargé de l'application de la loi des archives. Contrôle et relations avec archives privées. 3. Organisation et rôle des archives publiques aux différents niveaux. 4. Formation professionnelle des archivistes et de leurs collaborateurs. 5. Contrôle des archives en formation, préarchivage, règles de tri, d'élimination et de versement. 6. Mesures relatives à la conservation matérielle des archives. 7. Relations avec le public, communication, publicité, copyright. 8. Dispositions relatives à des catégories spéciales d'archives (affaires étrangères, défense nationale). 9. Dispositions spéciales relatives aux archives informatiques et aux archives audiovisuelles. Les clauses et formules de style, titulatures officielles, dispositions temporaires ou transitoires, formules d'exécution, etc. devaient être écartés, de même que les règles de 1 Principalement, C. COUTURE et M. LAJEUNESSE, Législations et politiques archivistiques dans le monde, Québec, 1993, avec une préface d'E. KETELAAR. Des mêmes auteurs, «Impact of archivai législation on National Archives policies: a comparative study», dans Archives. Journal of the British Records Association, 1994, XXI, 91, p. 1-15. Colloques en Allemagne, en Autriche, en Italie, en Tunisie et aux Etats-Unis, dans le courant des années 1993 et 1994. On verra notamment l'excellente synthèse - particulièrement intéressante pour l'Afrique - présentée par Monsieur Saliou MBAYE, directeur des archives du Sénégal, à la conférence inaugurale du 10 mai 1994 au colloque La législation archivistique pour le développement du système national d'information, à Tunis. Il convient également de remarquer que la revue italienne Rassegna degliArchivi di Stato a publié intégralement certaines lois récentes; c'est le cas de la loi canadienne (vol. XLIX, 1989, 1, p. 162-181), de celle de la République fédérale d'Allemagne (ibidem, 2, p. 473-486), de la loi japonaise, en version anglaise (ibidem, 3, p. 629-631), des lois et décrets tunisiens (vol. L, 1990,1, p. 181-194), de la loi chinoise (vol. LU, 1992,1, p. 177-181) et de la loi brésilienne (ibidem, 1992,2, p. 433-437). 2 Voir le tableau que nous donnons à la fin de cet avant-propos et qui reprend les différents pays déjà traités dans les précédents volumes d'ARCHIVUM.

XI classement et d'inventoriage propres à chaque catégorie d'archives, et que les questions relatives au statut professionnel des archivistes. On attirait l'attention des correspondants sur quelques points précis, comme la tendance à la centralisation ou à la décentralisation, la tendance à insérer les archives dans une législation plus vaste englobant le patrimoine culturel de la nation, le rattachement administratif des Archives, l'évolution en matière d'archives informatiques et audio-visuelles. Des réponses reçues, il apparaît qu'une cinquantaine de pays ont adopté au cours des douze dernières années une nouvelle loi des archives. Chiffre considérable, car l'ampleur de ces textes légaux exigeait la publication de plusieurs volumes. Le Comité de rédaction d'ARCHIVUM devait en outre tenir compte de deux autres impératifs: l'impératif technique lié à la réalisation matérielle d'un volume, et le souhait du Comité Exécutif du CIA de programmer pour 1996 un volume d'ARCHIVUM sur la destruction des archives, lié au projet Mémoire du Monde de l'Unesco. Il n'y aura donc que deux volumes d'ARCHIVUM sur la législation archivistique entre 1980 et 1992. Cela signifiait pratiquement l'élimination de tout ce qui n'était pas strictement un texte de loi, sans pour autant renoncer à mentionner ou à commenter les décrets, ordonnances, arrêtés, circulaires et autres règlements; c'est ce que nous avons fait par exemple pour le Cap Vert. Nous avons dû renoncer également à publier les projets qui n'avaient pas encore été adoptés par les parlements et qui n'avaient pas encore force de loi; c'est le cas notamment des Barbades, de la Belgique, de la Biélorussie, de la Côte d'Ivoire, de la Croatie et du Ghana. On peut le déplorer mais il est non moins certain qu'il n'était pas possible de traiter chaque pays en long et en large sans aboutir à des inconséquences. La plupart des pays contactés ont répondu à notre enquête dans un esprit très collégial. Nous exprimons ici notre vive reconnaissance aux directions nationales et aux correspondants d'ARCHIVUM, principalement à ceux qui connaissent dans leur région du monde des soucis autrement considérables. Nous avons beaucoup apprécié les efforts fournis par certains de nos collègues pour nous fournir une traduction dans une des cinq langues d'ARCHIVUM des textes légaux. Tous n'ont pas joint aux textes légaux un commentaire mettant en évidence les lignes de force de la nouvelle législation. L'équipe d'ARCHIVUM s'est efforcée d'adapter les commentaires fournis dans une optique d'unification générale, et de rédiger un commentaire là où il faisait défaut. Je tiens à les en remercier du fond du cœur et à leur dire combien j'apprécie le caractère positif et constructif de chacune de leurs interventions ou de leurs initiatives. Une équipe trop vaste se désintéresse souvent du côté pratique des opérations; une petite équipe homogène, amicale, où la rigueur de la méthode de l'historien s'allie à des relations qui sont le contraire de l'égoïsme, est une bénédiction des dieux et porte en soi la seule vraie récompense du travail. Je veux d'abord citer ici David Leitch, rédacteur en chef adjoint d'ARCHIVUM - que sa qualité d'anglophone a contraint au travail le plus considérable - , mais aussi Mesdames Rosana de Andrés Diaz et Antonella Mulè de Luigi, ainsi que Monsieur Leopold Auer. Il ne faudrait pas oublier que le travail qui aboutit maintenant à deux volumes de plus de 400 pages, est celui de ces bénévoles, responsables pendant la plus grande partie de la journée de multiples tâches archivistiques pour leur propre pays. Nous l'avons dit, un grand nombre de pays ont adopté depuis 1980 une nouvelle loi des archives. C'est là une tendance qui mérite d'être soulignée. L'importance à accorder à la conservation d'un patrimoine qui constitue la base même de toute compréhension de l'évoluton d'une nation, est désormais devenue évidente pour tous les gouvernements dans les cinq continents. Partout, ce patrimoine archivistique s'étend en principe à tous les supports de l'information; papier et parchemin ont définitivement perdu leur monopole. La tendance de plus en plus nette vers une organisation centralisée des archives,

XII constatée par M. Duchein pour la période 1970-1980, se confirme-t-elle? Certes, presque tous les pays englobent dans leur législation la gestion des archives publiques et semipubliques et la protection des archives privées. Cependant, - et ce n'est pas seulement le cas dans les pays à structure fédérale - l'autonomie donnée aux régions va s'agrandissant. Pas pour les questions de principe, pas pour une «loi d'archives modèle» ainsi que l'appelait l'Unesco en 1967, mais pour les questions d'application pratique. Ce n'est pas par hasard si les archives départementales françaises ne dépendent plus du préfet mais du Conseil régional3; ce n'est pas un hasard si le Conseil supérieur des archives prévu dans le projet de loi belge, est composé d'archivistes régionaux, même s'il est présidé par l'archiviste fédéral. Il faut cependant observer que le concept léniniste de fonds d'archives d'État unique est loin d'être défunt, même si certains pays comme la Biélorussie se sont adaptés avec une extraordinaire rapidité. Nombre de nouvelles législations attestent l'existence d'un Conseil supérieur qui définit la politique archivistique nationale et assiste le directeur général dans ses responsabilités. On peut y voir un signe de centralisation, comme dans les pays où il est composé majoritairement ou uniquement de représentants des ministères, ou de décentralisation, comme dans les pays où interviennent des membres du corps académique ou même des utilisateurs. Dans les deux cas, il peut cependant être considéré comme le signe de l'intérêt croissant porté à la gestion des archives courantes et à leur évolution vers les archives historiques. Les mesures légales qui sont prises confirment nettement la tendance déjà mise en valeur par M. Duchein après 1980. Les autorités supérieures de l'État comme les administrations se rendent de mieux en mieux compte de la responsabilité écrasante que supposent le tri, l'élimination, la conservation et l'accès aux archives. La communication des archives au public fait en effet de plus en plus partie des préoccupations du législateur; partout, la tendance est à «ouvrir» les archives à tous dans des délais qui se situent de plus en plus dans une moyenne de 30 ans, tout en garantissant mieux que jamais la protection de la vie privée et la sûreté de l'État. Certains pays, comme l'Australie, ont donné aux dispositions légales d'accès une plus grande sophistication notamment dans la procédure d'appel. Enfin, on a vu entrer récemment en archivistique, à côté des documents intéressant la défense nationale ou les affaires étrangères, la notion d'archives des services secrets - l'existence de ces derniers étant auparavant niée par les gouvernements. Enfin, autre tendance à s'affirmer encore: l'intégration des archives dans un ensemble du patrimoine culturel et documentaire. La création de l'École du Patrimoine à Paris n'en est qu'un des exemples les plus significatifs. Ces vues - restées volontairement très schématiques - ne rendent pas compte de l'évolution de la situation. Surtout, elles ne rendent pas compte de la situation réelle sur le terrain. La loi est-elle appliquée ou reste-t-on dans la théorie? la situation financière permet-elle de l'appliquer? les incidences politiques - quand ce ne sont pas les opportunismes locaux ou les situations de crise - ne sont-elles pas défavorables? Autant de questions auxquelles il est extrêmement difficile de répondre; il faut d'autant plus se féliciter des réponses qu'ont tenté d'y apporter les études détaillées citées en note. Une remarque avant de terminer: nous avons introduit les Communautés européennes dans la liste des pays car il nous semblait que l'évolution politique rendait cette démarche

3 Voir «Les archives dans la décentralisation: rapports et débats sur la question à l'étude de l'Association des archivistes français en 1985», dans La Gazette des Archives, 1986, 132, p. 5-31.

XIII souhaitable. Il y a lieu, pour chacun des pays de la CEE de s'y reporter en tenant compte de l'existence de ces textes légaux dans chacune des langues de la Communauté, et pas seulement en langue française. André Vanrie Rédacteur en chef d'ARCHIVUM

XIV

ARCHIVAL LEGISLATION IN THE FORMER VOLUMES OF ARCHIVUM LA LÉGISLATION ARCHIVISTIQUE DANS LES VOLUMES PRÉCÉDENTS D'ARCHIVUM DATE OF THE VOLUMES - DATE DES VOLUMES XI, 1961, publ. 1963 XVII, 1967, publ. 1971 XIX, 1969, publ. 1972 XX, 1970, publ. 1972 XXI, 1971, publ. 1973 XXVIII, 1982, publ. 1982 LANGUAGES: F = French - Français E = English - Anglais S = Spanish - Espagnol D = German - Allemand I = Italian - Italien COUNTRY - PAYS

Vol.

Date

Lang

Pages

AFGHANISTAN

XX

1970

F

157

ALGERIA

XXVIII

1982

F

29-46

ANDORRA

XXVIII

1982

F

47-49

ARGENTINA

XI XXI XXVIII

1961 1971 1982

S S S

64-66 15-31 50

AUSTRALIA

XI XXI XXVIII

1961 1971 1982

E E E

74-76 179-198 51-57

AUSTRIA

XVII XXVIII

1967 1982

D D

53-58 274-278

BAHAMAS

XXVIII

1982

E

58-61

BARBADOS

XXI

1971

F

33

BELGIUM

XVII XXVIII

1967 1982

F F

59-74 72

BOTSWANA

XX XXVIII

1970 1982

E E

27 73-82

BRAZIL

XXI XXVIII

1971 1982

F F

35-44 83-89

XV BULGARIA

XVII XXVIII

1967 1982

F E

75-81 62-71

CAMEROON

XX XXVIII

1970 1982

F F

29-35 90-94

CANADA

XXI XXVIII

1971 1982

FE FE

45-56 95-111

CENTRAFRICA

XX

1970

F

37

CHILE

XXI XXVIII

1971 1982

S S

57-64 123-124

COLOMBIA

XXI

1971

S

65-70

CONGO

XX

1970

F

39

COSTA RICA

XI XXI

1961 1971

S S

106-109 71-76

COTE DTVOIRE

XX

1970

F

41-46

CZECHOSLOVAKIA

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

F E

167-182 112-122

DAHOMEY

XX

1970

F

47-49

DENMARK

XVII XXVIII

1967 1982

F E

83-90 125-129

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

XXVIII

1982

S

165-172

ECUADOR

XXI

1971

S

81

EL SALVADOR

XXI

1971

s

77-79

FIJI

XXI XXVIII

1971 1982

E E

199-206 185

FINLAND

XVII XXVIII

1967 1982

F E

121-136 364-368

FRANCE

XVII XXVIII

1967 1982

F F

137-172 186-211

GABON

XX

1970

F

51-52

GAMBIA

XX

1970

E

53-56

GERMANY Dem. Rep.

XVII XXVIII

1967 1982

D D

17-30 130-145

GERMANY Fed. Rep.

XVII XXVIII

1967 1982

D D

31-52 146-164

GHANA

XX

1970

E

57-62

GREECE

XVII

1967

F

209-220

GUATEMALA

XXI

1971

S

125-128

XVI HAITI

XXI

1971

F

129-130

HUNGARY

XVII

1967

F

221-235

ICELAND

XVII

1967

E

243-248

INDIA

XX

1970

E

163-169

INDONESIA

XX

1970

E

171-175

IRAK

XX

1970

E

177-178

IRAN

XX

1970

E

179-181

IRELAND

XVII

1967

E

237-242

ISRAEL

XI XX

1961 1970

E E

176-179 183-192

ITALY

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

I I

15-29 212-221

JAMAICA

XXI

1971

E

131-135

JAPAN

XX XXVIII

1970 1982

F E

193-194 222-225

KENYA

XX

1970

E

63-67

KOREA

XXVIII

1982

E

230

LAOS

XX

1970

F

195-202

LEBANON

XX XXVIII

1970 1982

F F

203-205 231-235

LESOTHO

XX

1970

E

69-73

LIBERIA

XXVIII

1982

E

236-241

LIECHTENSTEIN

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

D D

31-32 242-245

LUXEMBURG

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

F F

33-36 246-247

MADAGASCAR

XX

1970

F

77-78

MALAWI

XX XXVIII

1970 1982

E E

75 248-258

MALAYSIA

XX

1970

E

207-212

MALI

XX

1970

F

79-80

MAURITANIA

XX

1970

F

93-97

MAURITIUS

XX

1970

E

83-91

MEXICO

XXI XXVIII

1971 1982

S S

137-144 259-266

XVII MONACO

XIX

1969

F

37

MOROCCO

XX

1970

F

81-82

NEPAL

XX

1970

E

213

NETHERLANDS

XIX

1969

F

51-68

NEW ZEALAND

XXI XXVIII

1971 1982

E E

207-215 267-271

NIGER

XXVIII

1982

F

272

NIGERIA

XX

1970

E

99-103

NORWAY

XIX

1969

F

39-49

OMAN

XXVIII

1982

E

273

PAKISTAN

XX XXVIII

1970 1982

E E

215 279-283

PANAMA

XXI

1971

S

145-151

PERU

XXI

1971

S

XXVIII

1982

S

153-160 217-218 284

PHILIPPINE

XX

1970

E

217-225

POLAND

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

F F

69-88 285-289

PORTO RICO

XXI XXVIII

1971 1982

S S

161-166 297-303

PORTUGAL

XI XIX XXVIII

1961 1969 1982

F F F

210-214 89-105 290-296

RHODESIA

XX

1970

E

111-114

ROMANIA

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

F F

107-120 304-315

RWANDA

XXVIII

1982

F

316-317

SAN MARINO

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

F I

121 318-323

SAUDI ARABIA

XX

1967

F

159

SENEGAL

XX XXVIII

1970 1982

F F

115-117 324-327

SIERRA LEONE

XX

1970

E

119-122

SINGAPORE

XX

1970

E

227-230

RUSSIA see USSR

XVIII SOUTH AFRICA

XX XXVIII

1970 1982

E E

17-26 328-329

SPAIN

XVII XXVIII

1967 1982

S S

91-120 173-184

SRI LANKA

XX XXVIII

1970 1982

E E

161-162 330-337

SUDAN

XX

1970

E

123-124

SWEDEN

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

F E

123-146 369-382

SWITZERLAND

XI XIX XXVIII

1961 1969 1982

F FD FD

98-104 147-165 353-363

SYRIA

XX

1970

F

231-232

TAIWAN

XX

1970

F

233

TANZANIA

XX

1970

E

125-135

THAILAND

XX

1970

E

235-237

TOGO

XX

1970

F

137-138

TRINIDAD and TOBAGO

XXI

1971

E

167

TUNISIA

XX

1970

F

139-140

TURKEY

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

F F

183 383-386

UGANDA

XX

1970

E

105

UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC

XX

1970

F

107-109

UNITED KINGDOM

XI XVII XXVIII

1961 1967 1982

E E E

217-227 173-208 387-407

UNITED STATES

XI XXI XXVIII

1961 1971 1982

E E E

131-135 83-123 408-426

URUGUAY

XXI

1971

S

169-172

USSR

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

E F

185-191 338-352

VATICAN

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

I I

193 427

VENEZUELA

XXI XXVIII

1971 1982

S S

173-175 428-430

VIETNAM

XX

1970

F

239-242

XIX YUGOSLAVIA

XIX XXVIII

1969 1982

F E

195-224 226-229

ZAIRE

XX XXVIII

1970 1982

F F

141-144 431-434

ZAMBIA

XX

1970

E

145-154

ZIMBABWE

XXVIII

1982

E

435

XX

TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface VIII Introduction X Archival legislation in the former volumes of ARCHIVUM XIV

CZECH REPUBLIC

157

DENMARK

169

ECUADOR

180

ALBANIA ALGERIA ANDORRA ARGENTINA AUSTRALIA AUSTRIA

1 9 13 14 19 45

EGYPT EL SALVADOR EUROPEAN UNION

183 186 187

FINLAND FRANCE

191 200

BANGLADESH BARBADOS BELARUS BELGIUM BENIN BOLIVIA BRAZIL

48 52 54 55 63 71 77

GABON GERMANY GHANA GREECE

204 209 280 282

HONDURAS HUNGARY

291 293

CANADA CAPE VERDE CHILE CHINA COLOMBIA CONGO COOK ISLANDS COSTA RICA COTE D'lVOIRE CROATIA CUBA CYPRUS

88 101 103 Ill 116 125 129 131 142 144 150 152

ICELAND INDIA INDONESIA IRELAND ITALY

295 300 302 306 316

JAMAICA

330

JAPAN

334

KENYA

336

Subject Index

339

1

ALBANIA* ALBANIE Aucun texte légal n'a été publié dans ARCHIVUM jusqu'à présent. Loi N° 7726 du 29 juin 1993 sur le Fonds national d'Archives et sur les Archives, qui a abrogé la loi N° 6893 du 18 juin 1984 sur le Fonds d'Archives d'État et sur les archives. DÉFINITION En considération de la multitude des formes de propriété et de l'instauration du pluralisme politique, cette loi étend les définitions des archives en tant qu'institution (art. 1) et des documents, en introduisant la notion de documents d'intérêt historique national, ce quiveut dire que ces documents, indépendamment du temps et du sujet qui les a créés, sont sous l'autorité de l'État et protégés par la loi. C'est dans ce but qu'à la différence de la loi précédente, qui qualifiait les documents de Fonds des Archives de l'État, la loi actuelle les qualifie de Fonds des Archives nationales (Art. 2). La définition est très large. PROTECTION Les Archives centrales et locales de l'État et les Archives du Système doivent être informées de tous changements de propriété des documents; la vente et l'achat des documents est permis, mais avec la priorité aux organes des archives de l'État et dans tous les cas sous leur surveillance (art. 12). Ceux qui font des recherches à l'étranger sont obligés de verser dans les archives de leur institut les originaux ou les copies de documents qu'ils peuvent se procurer et d'en donner des renseignements détaillés aux Archives centrales de l'État et à celles du Système (art. 18). Dans le cas de changements administratifs territoriaux, de réorganisation de l'activité des organismes de l'État etc., la Direction générale des Archives doit prendre en charge la gestion des documents; les documents des organismes privés qui ont cessé d'exister doivent être versés aux Archives centrales et locales de l'État, ou aux Archives du Système (art. 20). La Direction générale des Archives peut obliger les organes n'appartenant pas à l'État et les personnes physiques et juridiques privées propriétaires, possesseurs ou détenteurs de documents qui ne respectent pas les dispositions prévues par cette loi, à remettre les documents aux Archives (art. 32). Des sanctions sont prévues contre ceux qui ne respectent pas les dispositions de cette loi et les normes fixées par la Direction générale des Archives à propos de la conservation, du classement et de la communication des documents; une compétence pareille n'existait pas dans l'ancienne loi. Enfin, les mesures à prendre pour la protection des documents et du réseau d'archives dans le cas d'une guerre éventuelle, sont fixées par le Conseil des ministres (art. 38). * Informations fournies par Monsieur Luan Malltezi, directeur général des archives, en février 1994. Commentaire par Vehbi Agolli, directeur de la direction méthodique et du contrôle, et par Eduart Zaloshnja, inspecteur, adapté par Antonella Mulè.

2

ALBANIE

STRUCTURE La Direction générale des Archives, qui relève du Conseil des ministres, est constituée par les Archives centrales de l'État et les Archives locales de l'État. Elle organise, dirige et contrôle l'activité de tout le réseau d'archives du pays, qui'est constitué par les archives de l'État centrales et locales, celles du Système reconnues par le Conseil des ministres, les archives des organes de l'État et des organes n'appartenant pas à l'État et les Archives des personnes physiques et juridiques privées (art. 6-7). Les archives du Système conservent, trient, classent, inventorient et communiquent les documents produits par le Président de la République, l'Assemblée populaire, les Tribunaux, les Parquets généraux, les Ministères de la Défense, des Affaires étrangères et de l'ordre public, le Service informatif national (art. 15). Il y a aussi un Conseil supérieur d'Archives et une Commission centrale de l'expertise (art. 7). COMMUNICABILITÉ Dans la loi précédente il y avait des normes extrêmement politisées et antiscientifiques, qui étendaient le concept de «secret» sans délimitation temporelle, ce qui empêchait artificiellement les citoyens et les chercheurs de consulter les documents d'archives. Désormais, la possibilité d'utiliser les documents est conçue comme un droit démocratique de chaque citoyen ou institution qui s'y intéresse. En règle générale, les documents sont librement communicables après un délai de 25 ans à partir du moment de leur création; pour les documents appartenant à la vie privée de l'individu ou qui ont un intérêt particulier pour l'État, le délai va de 50 à 150 ans (art. 23). La publication des dossiers de l'ex-organe de la sûreté de l'État est prévue par une loi particulière (art. 25). La loi sur le Fonds national d'Archives et sur les Archives a introduit dans le domaine des archives les modifications législatives qui étaient dévenues nécessaires à cause du renversement du système étatique totalitaire communiste, de l'établissement du système politique et étatique démocratique et du passage à l'économie de marché. L'élaboration de cette loi a été faite en tenant compte des caractéristiques de développement politique, économique et social de l'Albanie dans la phase de transition, des lois des pays démocratiques occidentaux ainsi que du Projet de loi des archives rédigé par l'UNESCO.

LOI SUR LE FONDS NATIONAL D'ARCHIVES ET SUR LES ARCHIVES N° 7726 du 29 Juin 19931 article 1 - Dans cette loi seront fixées les définitions suivantes: Archives centrales D e s institutions de l'État qui conservent, trient, classent, inventorient et communiquent toute sorte de documents contenant des données d'intérêt national. Elles sont définies

par des Dispositions du Conseil des Ministres et relèvent directement de la Direction générale des Archives de l'Etat. Archives du Système D e s institutions de l'Etat qui conservent, trient, classent, inventorient et communiquent toute sorte de documents provenant d'un domaine précis de l'activité publique et

1 Proclamée par l'arrêté n. 591, du 6 Juillet 1993 du Président de la République d'Albanie, Sali Berisha.

ALBANIA dirigent et répondent de l'activité d'archives du Système. Elles sont définies par l'article 15 de cette loi et relèvent du Ministère ou de l'institution recouvrant un domaine précis du dit Système. Archives locales Des institutions de l'Etat qui conservent, trient, classent, inventorient et communiquent toute sorte de documents contenant des données relatives à l'histoire d'une certaine unité administrative territoriale, dirigent et répondent de l'activité d'archives de cette dernière. Elles sont définies par des Dispositions du Conseil des Ministres et relèvent de la Direction générale des Archives. Archives des organes de l'Etat et archives des organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat Parties structurelles ou secteurs à part responsables de la gestion des documents de l'institution dont elles relèvent. Archives des personnes physiques et juridiques privées Archives gérées par différentes personnes physiques et juridiques privées.

article 2 - Le Fonds National d'Archives d'Albanie est constitué par l'ensemble de documents, quels que soient leur date, leur lieu, leur propriétaire, leur forme et leur support matériel, manuscrit, imprimé, dessin, enregistrement sonore ou mécanographique, produits par les organes de l'Etat, les organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat 2 , les personnes physiques et juridiques privées dans l'exercice de leur activité, qualifiés d'intérêt historique national. Le Fonds National d'Archives d'Albanie comprend également les documents en provenance des Administrations, ayant exercé leur activité dans les territoires de l'actuel Etat albanais, conservés dans les Archives des autres pays sous la domination desquels était jadis le territoire de l'Albanie.

3

Font partie du Fonds National d'Archives, sans restriction aucune, les documents des organes, sociétés et personnalités albanais ayant exercé leur activité à l'étranger. Le Fonds National d'Archives et les Archives en Albanie son garantis et protégés par l'Etat, selon les normes prévues par cette loi.

article 3 - L'Etat albanais reconnaît les obligations relatives à la protection du patrimoine documentaire émanant des conventions internationales où il adhère.

article 4 - Les documents des organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat et les documents des personnes physiques et juridiques privées, une fois versés dans les Archives de l'Etat, sont irrevocables sauf dans les cas où une procédure est fixée dans l'accord de versement.

article 5 - Le Fonds National d'Archives est géré par le réseau d'archives du pays. Celui-ci est constitué par les archives de l'Etat centrales, locales et du Système reconnues par le Conseil des Ministres et les archives des organes de l'Etat, les archives des organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat et les archives des personnes physiques et juridiques privées.

article 6 - La Direction générale des Archives est l'organe supérieur d'archives au niveau du pays. Elle est une Institution Centrale relevant du Conseil des Ministres. La Direction générale des Archives est une personne juridique, a son sceau avec l'Emblème de la République et son Appellation. Elle a son siège à la capitale, Tirana.

2 Toute autre organisation qui ne relève pas de l'Etat.

4

ALBANIE

article 7 - La Direction Générale des Archives est constituée par les Archives Centrales de l'Etat et les Archives Locales de l'Etat. Un Conseil Supérieur d'Archives et une Commission Centrale de l'Expertise fonctionnent auprès de la Direction Générale de l'Etat. Les susdits exercent leur activité en pleine conformité avec cette loi et avec les règles ratifiées par cette Direction.

article 8 - La Direction générale des Archives organise, dirige et contrôle l'activité de tout le réseau d'archives. Les règles, les instructions et les ordres produits par cette Direction portant sur la gestion des documents, sont obligatoires pour tout le réseau d'archives et les personnes physiques juridiques privées détentrices de documents. Elle signe des accords bilatéraux ou multilatéraux avec les Institutions homologues des autres pays, aux fins d'enrichissement du Fonds National d'Archives, de l'échange des expériences, de la formation et de la qualification du personnel d'archives, etc.

article 9 - La détermination des fonds d'archives destinés à être conservés dans les Archives de l'Etat centrales, locales et du Système, relève de la Direction Générale des Archives. Dans les Archives susmentionnées sont conservés des documents à valeur permanente de conservation, d'importance historique nationale, suivant la liste type ratifiée par la Direction Générale des Archives.

article 10 - La valeur et les délais de conservation des documents des organes de l'Etat sont fixés par des commissions d'expertise fonctionnant dans leur sein, et sont ratifiés par les Commissions d'expertise des Archives Centrales, locales et du Système. L'élimination des documents ayant perdu leur valeur de conservation ultérieure in-

combe aux organes par lesquels ils sont administrés suivant les règles fixées par la Direction générale des Archives.

article 11 - Tous les organes de l'Etat et les organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat disposant des documents figurant sur la liste des documents d'importance historique nationale, envoient les renseignements nécessaires pour être enregistrés dans les Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat et les Archives du Système, suivant les règles fixées par la Direction générale des Archives.

article 12 - Les Archives Centrales et locales de l'Etat, les Archives des organes de l'Etat et les archives des organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat ainsi que les archives des personnes physiques et juridiques privées, sous reserve de cette loi et des règles et actes légaux, sont tenues à: 1 - Faire le tri, le classement et l'inventoriage des documents et envoyer aux Archives de l'Etat Centrales, locales et du Système dont ils relèvent, deux exemplaires de l'inventaire des dossiers et un exemplaire des publications d'archives qu'ils ont rédigés. Les inventaires sont déposés avec le versement des documents à l'expiration du délai de leur utilisation courante. 2 - Créer des conditions et conserver les documents suivant les exigeances techniques et technologiques de conservation. 3 - Faire la restauration des documents abîmés sous le contrôle méthodique et avec l'aide des Archives de l'Etat. 4 - Informer les Archives de l'Etat centrales, locales et du Système sur l'état de détérioration complète ou partielle, la perte et le transfert des documents. 5 - Ne pas laisser passer en d'autres mains les documents sans informer préalablement les Archives de l'Etat centrales, locales ou du Système. Cette condition est valable également pour les cas d'héritage de documents. Les documents conservés dans les Archives de l'Etat centrales, locales et du Système ne

ALBANIA peuvent changer de propriétaire sauf dans le cas d'un accord de versement sans changement de propriétaire. 6 - Ne pas vendre ni exporter sous autre forme les documents à l'étranger sans l'autorisation de la Direction générale des Archives. 7 - Organiser la communication des documents. La communication des documents des personnes physiques et juridiques privées est réalisée en accord avec les Archives de l'Etat centrales, locales ou du Système.

article 13 - Les documents sont versés pour être conservés et gérés dans les Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat et celles du Système, classés et inventoriés suivant les règles fixées par la Direction générale des Archives.

article 14- Le versement des documents des organes de l'Etat dans les Archives centrales et locales se fait selon les délais fixés comme suit: - les documents administratifs, pas plus tard que 10 ans à partir de la date de leur création. Dans les limites de ce délai sont également versés les documents audiovisuels constituant un ensemble avec les documents administratifs; - les documents techniques, à l'expiration de leur période d'utilisation courante, pas plus tard qu'après 25 ans, à compter de la date de leur création; - les documents audiovisuels pas plus tard que 15 ans à partir de la date de leur création; - les registres des actes de l'état civil et autres de ce genre ainsi que les dossiers des importantes personnalités, à partir de 75 ans à compter de l'année d'expiration de leur délai d'utilisation courante.

article 15 - Les documents produits durant l'exercice de l'activité par le Président de la République, l'Assemblée Populaire, les Tribunaux, les Parquets généraux, le Ministère

5

de la Défense, le Service Informatif National, le Ministère des Affaires étrangères, le Ministère de l'ordre public, sont conservés et communiqués auprès de leurs Archives, respectant les demandes de cette loi. Les Archives de l'ex-Ministère de l'Intérieur sont transférées intactes au système des archives du Ministère de l'ordre public. Le contrôle de l'application de cette loi dans les archives de ces organes est effectué par la Direction générale des Archives.

article 16 - Les documents des organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat, ceux des personnes physiques et juridiques privées et les documents des hauts fonctionnaires de l'Etat, des personnalités des sphères politiques, sociales, de la culture et de la science etc. produits hors de leur activité d'Etat, qualifiés d'intérêt historique national, sont versés dans les Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat et celles du Système, suivant leur volonté ou celle de leurs héritiers ou en accord avec eux.

article 17 - Les Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat et celles du Système ont le droit exclusif d'être le premier collecteur des documents des organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat et des documents des personnes physiques et juridiques privées, et sont les seules à avoir le droit de faire l'achat et la gestion des documents des organes susmentionnés.

article 1 8 - Les chercheurs qui font des recherches en raison de leurs Instituts dans les Archives des autres pays et qui peuvent se procurer des originaux ou des copies de documents, sont obligés de les verser immédiatement suivant les règles, dans les Archives de leur Institut et d'envoyer dans les Archives centrales de l'Etat et celle du Système une liste détaillée sur la quantité et le contenu des documents.

6

ALBANIE

article 19 - Les organes non appartenent à l'Etat, les personnes physiques et juridiques privées qui font des dons, laissent en héritage ou vendent des documents aux Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat et aux Archives du Système jouissent du droit d'avoir dans les limites du possible et en accord avec les archives, des reproductions de leurs documents.

article 20 - Dans les cas de changements administratifs territoriaux de réorganisation de l'activité des organismes de l'Etat etc., la Direction générale des Archives et les Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat et les Archives du Système sont mises au courant et par conséquent elles doivent prendre à leur charge le problème de la gestion des documents. Au cas où des organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat, des personnes physiques et juridiques privées cessent d'exister et ne laissant pas d'héritiers reconnus par la loi, leurs documents sont versés aux Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat, ou dans les Archives du Système.

article 21 - Les documents du Fonds National d'Archives de l'Albanie sont consultés à des fins scientifiques, économiques, sociales, culturelles et à des fins relatives à l'activité de l'administration de l'Etat ainsi que pour répondre à des intérêts légitimes des individus.

article 22 - La communication des documents du Fonds National d'Archives est réalisée par - la mise à la disposition des lecteurs des documents, dans les salles de lecture d'archives; - la publication des recueils de documents; - l'organisation des expositions d'archives. L'exposition des documents originaux est permise uniquement dans les cas où ils seraient garantis du point de vue technologique selon les règles en vigueur; - les organes de la presse, de la radio, de la TV et du cinéma;

- l'information donnée aux organes de l'Etat et aux organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat, relative à des problèmes actuels politiques, économiques, scientifiques, culturels etc.; - l'offre des reproductions de documents respectant une quantité fixée par le titulaire des Archives qui permet leur communication; - la satisfaction aux demandes socio-juridiques des individus.

article 23 - Les documents du Fonds National d'Archives de l'Albanie ne deviennent librement communicables pour toute personne qu'après un délai de 25 ans à partir de leur création. Certaines catégories de documents contenant d'importantes données sur la sûreté de l'Etat qualifiées en tant que telles par les Institutions de provenance et ratifiées par le Conseil des Ministres, les dossiers d'enquête et judiciaires et les documents intéressant la dignité de l'individu ne peuvent être communiqués qu'après un délai de 50 à 150 ans à partir de leur date de création.

article 24 - Les documents des organes mentionnés dans l'article 15 ainsi que ceux mentionnés dans le deuxième paragraphe de l'article 23 peuvent être communiqués avant les délais fixés dans cette loi, dans des cas particuliers et uniquement avec l'autorisation de leur titulaire, alors que les documents conservés dans les Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat nécessitent l'autorisation du Directeur général des Archives et du titulaire de l'organe de leur provenance.

article 25 - La publication des dossiers de l'exorgane de la Sûreté de l'Etat est prévue par une loi particulière.

article 26 - Les Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat et celles du Système conservant des documents des organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat et des documents des personnes physiques et juridiques privées en accord et selon la

ALBANIA demande de ces derniers, peuvent repousser le délai de la communication de leurs documents même au delà des délais fixés par cette loi.

article 27 - Les sujets albanais et étrangers peuvent consulter les documents conservés dans les Archives centrales, locales et du Système grâce à une autorisation du titulaire de ces dernières.

article 28 - Les autorisations de communication de documents avant leur versement dans les archives centrales, locales et du Système avant leur délai de libre communication, sont délivrées par les Directeurs des organes de l'Etat uniquement pour leur personnel et pour des besoins de l'activité courante de leur administration.

article 29 - Les documents du Fonds National d'Archives d'Albanie conservés dans les Archives centrales, locales et du Système sont gratuitement communiqués pour des recherches scientifiques par les personnes autorisés par les organes de l'Etat et avec paiement pour les personnes physiques et juridiques privées.

article 30 - Les demandes des organes de l'Etat, des organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat, des personnes physiques et juridiques privées pour des études de caractère non scientifique, des copies ou extraits de documents conservés dans les Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat, sont soumises sans restriction, même dans les cas de satisfaction des intérêts sociaux ou juridiques des individus, à un paiement, selon des tarifs fixés par la Direction générale des Archives.

article 31 - Le directeur et le personnel des archives centrales, locales et du Système, des Archives des organes de l'Etat, des organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat et les personnes physiques et juridiques privées ont une res-

7

ponsabilité légale pour tous les cas de dérogation aux exigences de cette loi. Les sujets qui font des recherches d'Archives ont la responsabilité de publication des documents et doivent tenir compte des dispositions légales en vigeur.

article 32 - Aux organes n'appartenant pas à l'Etat, aux personnes physiques et juridiques privées, propriétaires, possesseurs ou détenteurs de documents, qui ne respectent pas les obligations de cette loi, le Directeur de la Direction Générale des Archives accorde un certain délai pour qu'ils puissent respecter les dispositions légales. Au cas où les obligations ne sont pas respectées dans le délai fixé, les documents des personnes susmentionnées sont pris en charge pour être conservés par les Archives centrales et locales de l'Etat. Evidemment, si les Archives de l'Etat jugent qu'il existe des risques pouvant entraîner la destruction des documents, elles se chargent immédiatement de la gestion. Dans les deux cas, le droit de propriété et de restitution n'est pas menacé.

article 33 - Des personnes autorisées par la Direction générale des Archives de l'Etat et par les Archives du Système pour leur propre système soumettent à une amende de 500 à 2000 Lek les personnes qui: a - n'assurent pas les conditions nécessaires techniques et technologiques pour la conservation des documents, fixées par la Direction générale des Archives; b - ne respectent pas les exigences de cette loi et des normes fixées par la Direction générale des Archives relatives à l'enregistrement, au classement et à la communication des documents; c - ne versent pas les documents dans les délais fixés et selon les exigences de cette loi, dans les Archives centrales et locales; d - ne donnent pas aux Archives de l'Etat les informations nécessaires quant à l'enregistrement de leurs documents et leur travail d'Archives; e - passent en d'autres mains les documents

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sans le visa de la Direction générale des Archives; f - empêchent les personnes autorisées par la Direction générale des Archives d'exercer leur activité reconnue par cette loi. Les personnes physiques privées sont soumises à une amende quand elles ne respectent pas les points d, e et cet article.

article 34 - Les personnes qui perdent ou éliminent des documents d'archives sous leur gestion sont soumises à une amende de 2500 a 5000 Lek. L'élimination des documents en contradiction avec les exigences de cette loi, le

vol et la perte des documents d'une valeur particulière sont sujets à une punition selon le code pénal.

article 35 - Il existe la possibilité de déposer une plainte au Tribunal contre la peine d'amende se référant à la loi sur les contraventions administratives.

article 36 - Les mesures à prendre pour la protection des documents et du réseau d'archives dans le cas d'une guerre éventuelle, sont fixées par le Conseil des ministres.

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ALGERIA* ALGÉRIE Voir ARCHIVUM XXVIII (1982), p. 29-46 Loi 88-09 du 26 janvier 1988; décrets 88-45,88-46 et 88-47 du 1er mars 1988 modifiant le décret 87-11 du 6 janvier 1987. DÉFINITION Voir art. 2, 5 et 12 de la loi. La définition est très large. PROTECTION Voir art. 6,13 et également 14 à 18 de la loi. Les archives publiques sont inaliénables; les archives privées de caractère historique, économique, social ou culturel, doivent être déclarées aux Archives nationales. STRUCTURE Un Conseil supérieur composé des secrétaires généraux des ministères supervise la politique archivistique (décret 88-46). La Direction générale des archives nationales, placée sous l'autorité du Secrétaire général de la Présidence de la République, comprend trois directions (décret 88-45): - Direction des normes et techniques de gestion des archives; - Direction de l'inspection; - Direction des échanges et de la valorisation. Un Centre des archives nationales sert de liaison avec le public (décret 87-11). FORMATION PROFESSIONNELLE La direction générale des archives nationales a pour mission d'élaborer et de réaliser le programme de formation et de perfectionnement du personnel des archives nationales. GESTION DES ARCHIVES COURANTES Voir art. 3 du décret 88-45 et art. 4 du décret 87-11. La direction générale et le Centre des archives nationales est chargée d'élaborer, en collaboration avec les structures concernées, les nomenclatures et les cadres de classement, les procédures d'élimination et de versement des archives; elle exerce un contrôle sur la tenue et la gestion des archives existantes.

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En bref, tendance générale à la centralisation. Le patrimoine archivistique n'est pas confondu avec le patrimoine culturel en général.

LOI 88-09 DU 26 JANVIER 1988 RELATIVE AUX ARCHIVES NATIONALES TITRE I. DISPOSITIONS GÉNÉRALES art. 1. La présente loi a pour objet de déterminer les règles qui régissent le fonctionnement et l'organisation des archives nationales. art. 2. Les documents d'archives sont, au sens de la présente loi, des documents contenant une information, quels que soient leur date, leur forme ou leur support matériel, produits ou reçus par toute personne physique ou morale et par tout service ou organisme public ou privé, dans l'exercice de leur activité. art. 3. Les archives sont, au sens de la présente loi, constituées par l'ensemble des documents produits ou reçus par le Parti, l'État, les collectivités locales, les personnes physiques ou morales de droit public ou de droit privé, dans l'exercice de leur activité, identifiés par leur intérêt et leur valeur et soit conservés par leur détenteur ou leur propriétaire, soit transmis à l'institution d'archives compétente. art. 4. La constitution d'un fonds d'archives et la conservation des documents d'archives sont organisées dans l'intérêt public. TITRE II. DES ARCHIVES PUBLIQUES art. 5. Les archives publiques sont constituées par les documents historiques et les documents produits ou reçus par les organes du Parti, de l'État, les collectivités locales, les entreprises et établissements publics. art. 6. Les archives publiques sont insaisissables, inaliénables et imprescriptibles. Lorsqu'il est établi que des archives sont d'origine publique et détenues par les personnes physiques ou morales, l'État les revendique sans limitation de temps.

art. 7. Les organismes cités à l'article 3 de la présente loi doivent procéder, sous les directives et orientations de l'institution chargée des archives nationales, au préarchivage de leurs documents. art. 8. Au terme de leur utilisation par les organismes publics cités à l'article 3 de la présente loi, les documents produits ou reçus font l'objet d'un tri en vue de sélectionner ceux pourvus d'un intérêt archivistique. Les documents destinés à l'élimination et les modalités d'élimination sont définis conjointement par l'organisme concerné et l'institution chargée des archives nationales. Les documents ayant un intérêt archivistique doivent être obligatoirement versés à l'institution chargée des archives nationales. art. 9. Le versement des archives des organismes publics cités à l'article 3 de la présente loi doit être effectué auprès de l'institution chargée des archives nationales dès que les documents ne sont plus nécessaires à l'organisme concerné. Le versement doit être effectué, au plus tard, dans les deux années qui suivent l'expiration du délai réglementaire de conservation. art. 10. Les archives publiques sont librement et gratuitement communicables vingt-cinq ans après leur production. Toutefois, pour protéger la souveraineté nationale, l'ordre public et l'honneur des familles, certains documents ne sont communicables qu'après l'expiration du délai fixé à: - 50 ans à compter de la date de clôture des affaires portées devant les juridictions et n'ayant pas trait à la vie privée des personnes, - 60 ans à compter de la date de l'acte pour les

ALGERIA

11

documents intéressant la sûreté de l'État ou la défense nationale, dont la liste sera fixée par voie réglementaire, - 100 ans à compter de la date de naissance pour les documents comportant des renseignements individuels de caractère médical ainsi que pour les dossiers concernant la vie privée des personnes.

art. 16. Le propriétaire ou le détenteur d'archives ne peut ni les exporter ni en transférer la propriété, la jouissance ou la détention à une personne de nationalité étrangère, sans l'accord écrit de l'institution chargée des archives nationales. L'État peut exercer un droit de préemption à l'occasion de vente d'archives privées.

art. 11. Les archives publiques qui, par leur nature, doivent être portées à la connaissance du public, sont communicables sans limitation de délai.

art. 17. Dans le cas où les conditions de conservation exposent les archives privées à des risques de détérioration, l'État se réserve le droit de les prendre en charge aux fins de préservation. Ces archives demeurent, toutefois, propriété du citoyen qui peut en demander la restitution s'il justifie de conditions de sécurité suffisantes pour leur conservation.

TITRE III. DES ARCHIVES PRIVÉES art. 12. Les archives privées sont constituées par les documents appartenant à des personnes, des familles, des institutions ou des organisations non publiques. art. 13. Tout propriétaire ou détenteur de documents privés, ayant ou susceptibles d'avoir une valeur permanente de caractère historique, économique, social ou culturel, doit volontairement les déclarer à l'institution chargée des archives nationales. art. 14. Les documents privés présentant un intérêt archivistique sont classés sur proposition de l'institution chargée des archives après vérification de leur authenticité. L'État doit aider à la protection et à la préservation desdits documents qui demeurent propriété privée. Il peut cependant en prendre copie. art. 15. Tout propriétaire ou détenteur d'archives, qui dépose volontairement à titre temporaire ou définitif ses documents auprès de l'institution chargée des archives nationales, est en droit d'en prendre gratuitement copie lors du dépôt et de les consulter librement. Dans le cas où le dépôt d'archives est fait à titre temporaire, le propriétaire ou le détenteur peut, en outre, en demander le retrait. La communication des archives privées à des tiers est soumise à l'autorisation du propriétaire ou du détenteur.

art. 18. Les organismes de droit privé cités à l'article 3 de la présente loi n'ont, en aucun cas, le droit de procéder à la destruction de leurs archives sans l'accord écrit de l'institution chargée des archives nationales.

TITRE IV. DU TRANSFERT ET DE LA CONSERVATION DES ARCHIVES art. 19. La mission de l'institution des archives nationales est de recevoir, classer et communiquer les archives aux autorités, aux organismes chercheurs et à tout autre personne qui en fait la demande. La création, les attributions, l'organisation, le fonctionnement de l'institution des archives nationales et les procédures de consultation sont fixés par voie réglementaire. art. 20. L'institution chargée des archives nationales et ses organes veillent à la constitution du patrimoine archivistique national. Ils peuvent recevoir des dons et des legs d'archives. L'institution chargée des archives nationales et ses organes peuvent acquérir, sur le territoire national ou à l'étranger, des documents présentant un intérêt archivistique. art. 21. Il est créé un Conseil supérieur des archives nationales chargé de: - l'élaboration et la proposition de la politique archivistique;

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ALGÉRIE

- l'orientation, la planification et la supervision de la mise en œuvre de la politique archivistique; - la composition, l'organisation et le fonctionnement du Conseil supérieur des archives nationales sont fixés par voie réglementaire.

ou privés conservés dans les archives ou dépôts publics ou remis à un dépositaire public en cette qualité, sont réprimés par les peines prévues par l'article 158 du Code pénal. Quiconque falsifie des documents d'archives est puni des peines prévues aux articles 215 et 216 du Code pénal.

art. 22. L'État assure la protection, la conservation et la gestion du patrimoine archivistique. Les organismes cités à l'article 3 de la présente loi sont tenus de conserver, en bon état et en bon ordre, les archives qu'ils détiennent.

art. 26. Lorsque la détérioration, la destruction, le détournement, ont été facilités par la négligence du dépositaire public, la peine encourue est celle prévue à l'article 159 du Code pénal.

art. 23. L'institution chargée des archives nationales doit permettre l'accès aux archives à des fins de recherche.

T I T R E V. D E S DISPOSITIONS P É N A L E S art. 24. Les agents de l'administration chargés de la collecte ou de la conservation des documents d'archives ou d'archives, qui communiquent les informations en violation des dispositions de la présente loi ou des textes pris pour son application, sont passibles des peines prévues à l'article 302 du Code pénal. art. 25. Toute détérioration, destruction ainsi que tout détournement de documents publics

art. 27. Toute personne qui détruit ou détériore sciemment des documents privés ayant une valeur archivistique, est punie d'un emprisonnement de deux mois à un an et d'une amende de 2.000 à 20.000 DA. La tentative est réprimée par les mêmes peines. En outre, la confiscation des documents peut être prononcée. art. 28. Toute infraction ou tentative d'effraction aux dispositions de l'article 15 de la présente loi est réprimée par une peine d'emprisonnement de deux mois à un an et d'une amende de 2.000 à 20.000 DA. La confiscation des documents peut, en outre, être prononcée.

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ANDORRA* Ver ARCHIVUM XXI (1971), p.28, y XXVIII (1982), p. 47-49. No existe legislación archivística posterior al Reglamento de Archivos de 1975, publicado en el vol. XXVIII, que nunca se puso en práctica y que, entre otros aspectos, no regula la gestión de la documentación pública contemporánea, ni el acceso. En 1981 fue creado el ejecutivo andorrano y los Archivos Nacionales pasaron a formar parte del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Juventud, aunque este cambio de competencia no ha aportado ningún cambio sustancial en el funcionamiento y concepción del sistema de archivos.

* Información elaborada por Rosana de Andrés Díaz, del Comité de Redacción de ARCHIVUM, a partir de los datos facilitados por D a Susana Vela Palomares, Cap del Servei d'Arxius.

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ARGENTINA* ARGENTINE Ver ARCHIVUM XXI (1971), p. 15-32, y XXVIII (1982), p. 50. Decreto 1571, de 9 de octubre de 1981; Ley 23.820 de 1990; Resolución 716/1992, del Ministerio del Interior. En 1961 se promulgó la única Ley de archivos de la República Argentina, la número 15.930, que no alude al conjunto del Patrimonio Cultural y Documental de la Nación y tampoco alcanza a definir satisfactoriamente al documento público y menos aún al documento privado. Solamente se limita a enumerar los documentos considerados como históricos, omitiendo sin embargo a los filmes y documentos sonoros. La Ley 15.930 prevé el flujo documental desde las distintas reparticiones del Estado al Archivo General de la Nación, pero su cumplimiento fue durante mucho tiempo y aún continúa siéndolo, demasiado dificultoso. Algunas de las causas son la falta de espacio físico y de personal en el Archivo General de la Nación, la ausencia de una normativa que regule con eficacia la metodología a seguir en los traslados de fondos documentales y la escasa legislación sobre selección documental, que resuelve exclusivamente los problemas presentados por la documentación de personal y de control (decreto 1571/81). Además si bien la Ley explicita las misiones, funciones y atribuciones del Archivo Nacional, no existe una ley que abarque los archivos en general. Muchas de las carencias de la Ley de 1961 en lo concerniente a selección y desafectación, se superaron gracias a dos decretos, el 232 de 1979 y el 1571 de 1981. La Ley 15.930 facultaba al Archivo General de la Nación en su artículo 3 o , inc.d. a fiscalizar los archivos nacionales y a cumplimentar el art. 4°, es decir, que los Ministerios, Secretarías de Estado y Organismos descentralizados de la Nación, pondrían a disposición del Archivo General de la Nación, la documentación de más de 30 años de antigüedad, reservando la siguiente para su operatoria interna. Conforme al art. I o del decreto 232/79 todas las reparticiones del Estado deberán someter a consideración de la Función Pública de la Presidencia, que requerirá la intervención del Archivo General de la Nación, cualquier proyecto relativo a selección, conservación, microfilmación y traslado que afecte la archivalía de estos organismos. El decreto 1571/81 tuvo como principal objetivo, permitir la eliminación racional y sistemática de la documentación sin mérito para su conservación, fijando la tabla de plazos mínimos de guarda de la documentación de personal y de control para todo el ámbito de la administración nacional. En virtud de la citada norma, la Dirección Nacional del Archivo General de la Nación, se convirtió en la única autoridad facultada para disponer la desafectación documental, evitándose de esta forma la destrucción indiscriminada. En los

* Información elaborada por la Sra. Graciela Swiderski, del Archivo General de la Nación de Argentina.

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casos de documentación no comprendida en la tabla de plazos por tratarse de piezas de carácter sustantivo, es decir producidas en cumplimiento de los objetivos específicos de cada organismo, se calificó como de valor permanente a toda la documentación anterior a 1916, declarándose que sobre la posterior a ese año, podrían aplicarse criterios de selección. El decreto incluye la metodología para la formación de la Comisión de Selección Documental, encargada de determinar en su jurisdicción los valores administrativos, legales y contables. Para proceder a la desafectación, la Comisión deberá detallar en lós formularios de solicitud e inventario de desafectación, cuyo modelo e instructivo se adjuntan al decreto, las series documentales con plazos vencidos. A continuación, el Archivo General de la Nación evaluará el valor secundario o histórico, autorizando su eliminación o su conservación permanente. En cuanto a la documentación en soporte moderno, la Ley 23.820 de 1990 dispone como de competencia del Archivo General de la Nación la recuperación de la Memoria Audiovisual del Pueblo Argentino y obliga a las emisoras de televisión a enviar trimestralmente copia de las notas periodísticas difundidas por ese medio, a fin que el Archivo Nacional duplique las que considere de valor histórico. Esta Ley aún no ha sido reglamentada. Por Resolución 716/92 se aprobó una nueva estructura para el Archivo General de la Nación y se fijaron las responsabilidades primarias y acciones de la Dirección General y de los demás sectores de la institución. En esta Resolución se ampliaron las atribuciones del archivo Intermedio, como responsable de la recuperación de la documentación producida por las Empresas y Sociedades del Estado privatizadas o en vías de privatización. Simultáneamente a la Reforma del Estado, el Archivo General de la Nación está colaborando en la reorganización de los archivos de las dependencias públicas, todavía mediante la aplicación de la legislación vigente. Sin embargo, en la actualidad se continúa trabajando en una nueva Ley acorde con las necesidades planteadas por la archivística moderna, que incluya la vinculación de los archivos del país en una red funcional, que constituya un sistema nacional.

DECRETO 1571, DE 9 DE OCTUBRE DE 1981 Artículo I o . - Apruébase la «Tabla de Plazos Mínimos de Conservación de los Documentos de Personal y de Control» así como los Anexos I y II1 que forman parte del presente, y que serán de aplicación obligatoria en todo el ámbito de la Administración Pública Nacional (Ministerios y Secretarías de la Presidencia de la Nación, Organismos Descentralizados, Servicios de Cuentas Especiales y Obras Sociales, Empresas y Sociedades del Estado). Artículo 2°. - Facúltase a los señores Ministros y Secretarios de la Presidencia de la

Nación para designar a los integrantes de las Comisiones de Selección Documental (Anexo I) y para ordenar por Resolución la eliminación de los documentos desafectados. Asimismo tales funcionarios podrán delegar las mencionadas facultades en las autoridades superiores de los Organismos Descentralizados, Servicios de Cuentas Especiales y Obras Sociales de su dependencia, cuando el volumen, la importancia del fondo documental y la operatividad de la tarea así lo justifiquen.

1 Inventario de Solicitud de Desafectación, Instructivo para el anterior; Solicitud de Desafectación, Instructivo para la anterior; Acta de Eliminación, Instructivo para la anterior.

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Artículo 3°. - En cuanto a las Empresas y Sociedades del Estado, serán sus titulares quienes tendrán las facultades mencionadas en el primer parágrafo del artículo 2°. Artículo 4 o . - La Dirección General del Archivo General de la Nación será la autoridad que dispondrá la desafectación de los documentos (de acuerdo a lo instruido por el Anexo I), considerando para ello lo que aconseje la ciencia archivística moderna. Artículo 5°. - Comuniqúese, publíquese, dése a la Dirección Nacional del Registro Oficial y archívese. (Firmado: el Ministro del Interior)

Anexo I PAUTAS, DEFINICIONES Y PROCEDIMIENTOS 1) Pautas

La Tabla de Plazos Mínimos de Conservación de los Documentos de Personal y de Control se refiere solamente a los originales de los documentos en ella incluidos. Las copias de los mismos pueden ser destruidas sin solicitar su desafectación, salvo en el caso de copias de substitución (aquellas reproducciones que reemplazan al original cuando éste no existe y forman parte de la archivalía del organismo). Las copias de substitución debidamente autenticadas tendrán el mismo valor que el original (en el caso de Resoluciones y Disposiciones); si carecieran de autenticación deberán preservarse igualmente, pero sólo servirán de principio de prueba por escrito. Las RESOLUCIONES o DISPOSICIONES originales recaídas en los expedientes o en las actuaciones comprendidas en la Tabla, deberán ser reemplazadas por copias o reproducciones debidamente autenticadas; cuando correspondiera la intervención del Tribunal de Cuentas de la Nación, el reemplazo se efectuará después de la intervención y antes de la prosecución del trámite que correspondiere. Con los originales se constituirán series ordenadas numérica y cronológicamente. Una serie corresponderá a Resoluciones y otra a Disposiciones. Todos estos documentos originales tienen el mismo valor permanente y

deberán ser conservados adecuadamente; por consiguiente no deberán ser incluidos en las solicitudes de desafectación. Los LEGAJOS DE PERSONAL donde deberán registrarse todos los datos que constituyan la memoria sobre la actividad desarrollada por el agente público y agregarse los curriculum vitae y declaraciones juradas que cada agente presentare, también son de guarda permanente, sin perjuicio de que ellos puedan contener documentación transitoria. Las FICHAS DE TRAMITE DE EXPEDIENTES Y ACTUACIONES(Cap. VI, inc. 21 del Reglamento para Mesas de Entradas, Salidas y Archivo - Decreto N° 759/66) son de guarda permanente (salvo desafectación del Archivo General de la Nación), aún cuando correspondieren a documentos desafectados. Esta Tabla indica los plazos mínimos durante los cuales deberán ser conservados los documentos en los organismos. Ello implica que los mismos podrán ser guardados por más tiempo que el aquí establecido, siempre que se justificare con razones bien fundadas ante las autoridades del mismo organismo. Estos plazos mínimos se deberán contemplar en dos etapas desde el punto de vista de la utilidad del documento: la primera, es la más activa del documento (período de utilización de alta frecuencia); durante su transcurso los documentos deberán ser conservados en la oficina productora. Cada organismo deberá considerar la frecuencia de consulta conforme a un patrón establecido y a sus propias necesidades. En la segunda etapa, que es la menos activa, o inactiva del documento, éste no se utiliza en forma frecuente, no justificándose que ocupe espacio en la oficina productora. Por tanto, los documentos deberán trasladarse a un único depósito del organismo (archivo central) perfectamente ordenados y clasificados. Siendo el período de guarda inferior a dos (2) años no será necesario efectuar el traslado antes mencionado. Los plazos de conservación aquí establecidos tienen en cuenta los valores intrínsecos de la información contenida en los documentos, contemplándose los aspectos administrativos, legales y fiscales (valores primarios) que señalan el tiempo de conservación precauciona!. El fin de este plazo precaucional permite

ARGENTINA a los organismos solicitar ante el Archivo General de la Nación, la desafectación correspondiente (punto 3) del presente anexo. Salvo indicación en contrario, los plazos de conservación son expresados en años, no debiendo coincidir necesariamente con el año calendario, sino que se consideran para ello los períodos de 12 (doce) meses a partir de la última fecha del documento o de la actuación o expediente, en que está integrado. 2) Definiciones 2.1. Documentos de personal: son todos aquellos relativos a los agentes públicos, producidos o recibidos por una organismo público donde el empleado ocupa un cargo. Esta clasificación incluye: expedientes, legajos de los agentes, fichas de control de asistencia, planillas de control de asistencia, formularios, etc. 2.2. Documentos de control: son aquellos que sirven de prueba de los trámites o actos realizados. Abarcan planillas de control de giro de documentación, comprobantes de la corespondencia certificada, formularios completos de remitos de documentación, fichas de trámite de expedientes o actuaciones. 3) Procedimientos 3.1. De la formación de la Comisión de Selección Documental: de acuerdo a lo dispuesto por el art. 2° primer parágrafo, deberá ser designada una Comisión de Selección Documental. La misma estará integrada por un abogado, un contador o licenciado en administración, un administrativo y un archivero. Este último funcionario podrá ser reemplazado por el Jefe del Departamento Mesa de Entradas, Salidas y Archivo o el Jefe del Archivo Central si lo hubiera. Las responsabilidades de esta Comisión se indican en 3.3. 3.2. De los documentos incluidos en esta Tabla: una vez vencidos los plazos de conservación precaucional indicados, se deberá proceder de la siguiente forma: 3.2.1. Llenado y remisión por duplicado al Archivo General de la Nación de los formularios de SOLICITUD DE DES AFECTACION (información global de la documentación a desafectar - anexo II) y el de INVENTARIO DE SOLICITUD DE DESAFECTACION (asiento detallado de las piezas documentales destinadas a eliminar - anexo II).

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3.2.2. Una vez desafectada la documentación por el Director General del Archivo General de la Nación (art. 4°) - quien podrá disponer la reserva de algunas piezas documentales en carácter de muestreo, o de una serie o subserie completa, asignándoles valor permanente los funcionarios indicados en los arts. 2 0 y 3 0 deberán ordenar la eliminación de los documentos desafectados, mediante el acto administrativo correspondiente. 3.2.3. Cumplidos estos actos, se procederá a separar la documentación eliminable y se cotejará con el Inventario de Desafectación a los efectos de su eliminación, con intervención y contralor de la Comisión de Selección Documental. Se agruparán por separado aquellas piezas documentales que deban conservarse, sea por muestreo o asignación de carácter permanente a la serie o subserie, o a otras que la Comisión por sí considere de guarda permanente debiendo fundamentarlo debidamente. 3.2.4. Se suscribirá el ACTA DE ELIMINACION firmando la misma la Comisión de Selección Documental. 3.2.5. Se asentará en las Fichas de trámite de expediente o actuación el número del Acta de Eliminación. 3.2.6. Se procederá a la destrucción del material documental correspondiente por medio de: 3.2.6.1. Trituración y eliminación o venta de la masa de papel triturado. 3.2.6.2. Venta de los documentos en el estado en que se encuentra, con cargo de ser convertido en inutilizable. 3.2.6.3. Otras formas de destrucción que garanticen la no utilización de la documentación como tal. 3.2.7. Los documentos denominados en esta Tabla como de control, se eliminarán sin solicitar su desafectación. 3.3. De los responsables: El Jefe del Departamento de Mesa de Entradas, Salidas y Archivo o en su defecto el Jefe del Archivo Central será responsable de cumplimentar lo indicado en 3.2.2.; 3.2.3.; 3.2.4.; 3.2.5.; 3.2.6. y 3.2.7. Los responsables deberán controlar además, que la documentación que se solicita desafectar, sea la comprendida en esta Tabla y que sus plazos precaucionales hayan finalizado. 3.4. De los documentos no comprendidos

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en esta Tabla: para los documentos operativos o sustantivos no incluidos en esta Tabla deberá procederse de la siguiente forma: 3.4.1. Toda la documentación anterior al año 1916 posee valor permanente y no se puede solicitar su desafectación. La posterior a esta fecha es susceptible de ser desafectada. 3.4.2. La documentación indicada en 3.4.1. in-fine recibirá el mismo tratamiento establecido en 3.2.1.; 3.2.2.; 3.2.3.; 3.2.4.; 3.2.5.; 3.2.6. y 3.3, pero siguiendo el procedimiento prescripto por el Decreto N° 232/79.

LEY N° 23.820/1990 Artículo 1°. - Compete al Archivo General

de la Nación la recuperación de la memoria audiovisual del pueblo argentino, debiendo detectar y conservar la documentación fflmica y televisiva. Artículo 2 o . - A los efectos de lo dispuesto en el artículo anterior, las emisoras de televisión de todo el país deberán enviar trimestralmente al Archivo General de la Nación copia de las notas periodísticas que hayan difundido por ese medio. El Archivo duplicará las copias que, a su juicio, posean valor histórico. Todas las copias deberán ser reintegradas, a la mayor brevedad, a las respectivas emisoras. Artículo 3 o . - Comuniqúese al Poder Ejecutivo.

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AUSTRALIA* AUSTRALIE Australian archival legislation published in ARCHIVUM XXI (1971), p. 179-198, included the New South Wales Archives Act, 1960; the Queensland Libraries Act, 1943 (Part IV: Public Records); the South Australia Libraries and Institutes Act, 1939 (Part III: Disposal of public documents); and the Tasmania Archives Act, 1965. The entry for Australia in ARCHIVUM XXVIII (1982), p. 51-57, added the Queensland Libraries Amendment Act, 1974, and the Victoria Public Records Act 1973-1978. Since the early 1980s, the following developments have occurred: The Federal Government of the Commonwealth of Australia has passed the Archives Act, 1983 (see below) to provide for the preservation and use of the archival resources of the Commonwealth of Australia. This Act also established the Australian Archives. Previously the Commonwealth's archive institutions had existed by virtue of administrative instructions alone. The State of Queensland has passed the Libraries and Archives Act, 1988, which repealed all earlier State legislation relating to archives and established the Queensland State Archives. Part V of this Act deals with public records (see below). The State of South Australia has passed the Libraries Act, 1982, which repealed all earlier State legislation relating to archives. Part III of this Act, which deals with public records, makes provisions similar to those in Part III of the 1939 Act (see below). The State of Tasmania has passed the Archives Act, 1983, which repealed the 1965 Act (see below). There have been minor amendments only to the Public Records Act of the State of Victoria (see below) and the Archives Act of the State of New South Wales. The amendment to the New South Wales Act has narrowed the categories of background interests from which members appointed to the Archives Authority can be chosen. A separate archive office (the Northern Territory Archives Service) was created by the self governing Northern Territory in 1983. Archives legislation has not yet been enacted by the Territory government. Since 1982 freedoom of information legislation has been enacted in all States and the Commonwealth. New archival legislation is currently being considered in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia.

* Information supplied by Michael Piggott, Director, External Relations & Professional Development, Australian Archives, 9 February 1994.

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COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA ARCHIVES ACT 1983

PART I. P R E L I M I N A R Y 1. Short Title. - This Act may be cited as the Archives Act 1983. 2. Commencement. - ( . . . ) . 3. Interpretation. - (1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears: 'Archives' means the Australian Archives established by this Act; 'authority of the Commonwealth' means: (a) an authority, body tribunal or organization, whether incorporated or unincorporated, established for a public purpose: (i) by, or in a accordance with the provisions of, an Act, regulations made under an Act or a law of a Territory other than the Northern Territory or Norfolk Island; (ii) by the Governor-General; or (iii) by, or with the approval of, a Minister; (b) the holder of a prescribed office under the Commonwealth; or (c) a prescribed company or association over which the Commonwealth is in a position to exercise control ( . . . ) 'Cabinet notebook' means a notebook or other like record that contains notes of discussions or deliberations taking place in a meeting of the Cabinet or of a committee of the Cabinet, being notes made in the course of those discussions or deliberations by, or under the authority of, the Secretary to the Cabinet; 'Chairman' means the Chairman of the Council; 'Commonwealth institution' means: (a) the official establishment of the Governor-General; (b) the Executive Council; (c) the Senate; (d) the House of Representatives; (e) a Department; (f) a Federal court or a court of a Territory other than the Northern Territory or Norfolk Island; (g) an authority of the Commonwealth; or (h) the Administration of an external Territory other than Norfolk Island; 'Commonwealth record' means - (a) a record that is the property of the Commonwealth or of a Commonwealth institution; or

(b) a record that is to be deemed to be a Commonwealth record by virtue of a regulation under sub-section (6) or by virtue of section 22, but does not include a record that is a Cabinet notebook, is exempt material, or is a register or guide maintained in accordance with Part VIII; 'Council' means the Advisory Council on Australian Archives established by this Act; 'current Commonwealth record' means a Commonwealth record that is required to be readily available for the purposes of a Commonwealth institution, other than purposes under this Act; 'Department' means - (a) a Department of the Australian Public Service that corresponds to a Department of State of the Commonwealth; or (b) a Parliamentary Department; 'Deputy Chairman' means the Deputy Chairman of the Council; 'Director-General' means the person for the time being occupying the office, or performing the duties of the office, of DirectorGeneral of the Australian Archives under the Public Service Act 1922; 'exempt material' means (a) material included in the memorial collection within the meaning of the Australian War Memorial Act 1980, other than material to which a regulation under sub-section (6) applies; (b) material included in the collection of library material maintained by the National Library of Australia; (c) material included in the collection of works of art maintained by the Australian National Gallery; (d) material included in the historical material in the possession of the Museum of Australia; or (e) material included in a collection maintained by an institution declared by the regulations to be a custodial institution for this definition, other than material (if any) that came to be so included by reason of a contravention of section 24; 'material' means records and other objects; 'material of the Archives' means - (a) records in the custody of the Archives (other than current Commonwealth records relating

AUSTRALIA to the Administration of the Archives); or (b) an object, other than a record, that forms part of the archival resources relating to Australia and is in the custody of the Archives, and includes material kept in the custody of a person in accordance with arrangements made under section 64; 'object' does not include a building or other structure or a vessel, aircraft or vehicle, other than a prescribed vessel, aircraft or vehicle; 'Parliamentary Department' means the Department of the Senate, the Department of the House of Representatives, the Department of the Parliamentary Library, the Department of the Parliamentary Reporting Staff or the Joint House Department; 'person' includes a Commonwealth institution or an organization; 'record' means a document (including any written or printed material) or object (including a sound recording, coded storage device, magnetic tape or disc, microform, photograph, film, map, plan or model or a painting or other pictorial or graphic work) that is, or has been, kept by reason of any information or matter that it contains or can be contained from it or by reason of its connection with any event, person, circumstance or thing; 'responsible minister', in relation to a Commonwealth record, means the Minister to whose ministerial responsibilities the record is most closely related; 'Royal Commission' means a Commissioner or Commissioners appointed by the Governor-General in the name of the Queen to make inquiry and report upon any matter; 'Tribunal' means the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. (2) For the purposes of this Act, the archival resources of the Commonwealth consist of such Commonwealth records and other material as are of national significance or public interest and relate to (a) the history or government of Australia; (b) the legal basis, origin, development, organization or activities of the Commonwealth or of a Commonwealth institution; (c) a person who is, or has at any time been, associated with a Commonwealth institution; (d) the history or government of a Territory; or (e) an international or other organization

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the membership of which includes, or has included, the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth institution, but do not include (f) material that, in the opinion of the Minister, ought to be in the archives of another country or in the archives of an international organization; (g) material that relates only or principally to the history or government of a State, the Northern Territory or Norfolk Island or of a Colony that became part of the Commonwealth, not being (i) Commonwealth records; (ii) property referred to in section 85 of the Constitution, or (iii) material transferred to the Commonwealth by a State, the Northern Territory or Norfolk Island under a law or agreement; (h) material, other than Commonwealth records, relating only to a place that has been, but has ceased to be, a Territory; or (j) exempt material. ( . . . ) (4) For the purposes of this Act, the Australian Federal Police shall be deemed to be an authority of the Commonwealth. (5) For the purposes of this Act, a record held by or on behalf of the Parliament or a House of the Parliament shall be taken to be the property of the Commonwealth. (6) The regulations may make provision under which, in specified cases or circumstances, records of which the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth institution has, or is entitled to have, possession are to be deemed to be Commonwealth records for the purposes of the provisions, or specified provisions, of this Act. (7) For the purposes of this Act, a record is in the open access period if a period of 30 years has elapsed since the end of the year ending on 31 December in which the record came into existence. (8) Nothing in this Act shall be taken to confer power on the Archives to affect the custody of (a) material, being Commonwealth records, that was held at the commencement of Part II by a State, the Northern Territory or Norfolk Island or by an authority of a State, of the Northern Territory or of Norfolk Island and has continued since that time to be so held

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by that State, that Territory or that authority; or (b) material, other than Commonwealth records, that is held at any time by a State or by a Territory or authority referred to in paragraph (a), except with the consent of the State, Territory or authority by which the material is held. 4. Extension to Territories. - This Act extends to every external Territory.

PART II. ESTABLISHMENT, FUNCTIONS AND POWERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES 5. Establishment and functions of Australian Archives. - (1) There shall be, within the Department, an organization by the name of the Australian Archives. (2) The functions of the Australian Archives are, subject to this Act (a) to ensure the conservation and preservation of the existing and future archival resources of the Commonwealth; (b) to encourage and foster the preservation of all archival resources relating to Australia; (c) to promote, by providing advice and other assistance to Commonwealth institutions, the keeping of current Commonwealth records in an efficient and economical manner and in a manner that will facilitate their use as part of the archival resources of the Commonwealth; (d) to ascertain the material that constitutes the archival resources of the Commonwealth; (e) to have the custody and management of Commonwealth records, other than current Commonwealth records, that (i) are part of the archival resources of the Commonwealth; (ii) ought to be examined to ascertain whether they are part of those archival resources; or (iii) although they are not part of those archival resources, are required to be permanently or temporarily preserved; (f) to seek to obtain, and to have the custody and management of, material (including

Commonwealth records) not in the custody of a Commonwealth institution, that forms part of the archival resources of the Commonwealth and, in the opinion of the DirectorGeneral, ought to be in the custody of the Archives; (g) with the approval of the Minister, to accept and have the custody and management of material that, though not part of the archival resources of the Commonwealth, forms part of the archival resources relating to Australia and, in the opinion of the Minister, ought to be in the custody of the Archives in order to ensure its preservation or for any other reason; (h) to encourage, facilitate, publicise and sponsor the use of archival material; (j) to make Commonwealth records available for public access in accordance with this Act and to take part in arrangements for other access to Commonwealth records; (k) to conduct research, and provide advice, in relation to the management and preservation; (1) to develop and foster the co-ordination of activities relating to the preservation and use of the archival resources of the Commonwealth and other archival resources relating to Australia; and (m) with the approval of the Minister, and in accordance with arrangements made with a person responsible for exempt material, to perform any of the foregoing functions in relation to that material as if that material formed part of the archival resources of the Commonwealth. ( . . . ) 6. Powers of Archives. - (1) The Archives may do all things that are necessary or convenient to be done for or in connection with the performance of its functions and, in particular, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, may (a) establish and control repositories or other facilities to house or exhibit material of theArchivesand,inassociationwithaState,the Northern Territory or other person, control repositories or other facilities in which material of the Archives is housed or exhibited; (b) undertake the survey, appraisal, accessioning, arrangement, description and indexing of Commonwealth records;

AUSTRALIA (c) make arrangements for the acquisition by the Commonwealth of, or of copyright in relation to, or arrangements relating to the custody of, material that forms part of the archival resources of the Commonwealth; (d) chronicle and record matters relating to the structure and functioning of Commonwealth institutions or other matters and make records for the purpose of adding to the archival resources of the Commonwealth; (e) make copies, by microfilming or otherwise, of archival material, but not so as to infringe copyright (other than copyright owned by the Commonwealth) subsisting in the material; (f) arrange for the publication of material forming part of the archival resources of the Commonwealth or works based on such material, but not so as to infringe copyright (other than copyright owned by the Commonwealth) subsisting in the material or works; (g) publish indexes of, and other guides to, archival material; (h) authorize the disposal or destruction of Commonwealth records; (j) on request, assist Commonwealth institutions in the training of persons responsible for the keeping of current Commonwealth records; (k) train, or assist in the training of persons, other than persons responsible for the keeping of current Commonwealth records, for work in connection with records and other archival material; (1) obtain and maintain equipment for use in retrieving, or otherwise obtaining, information from records; and (m) provide information and facilities for persons using the material of the Archives. (2) Where, in the performance of its functions, the Archives enters into arrangements to accept the custody of records from a person other than a Commonwealth institution, those arrangements may provide for the extent (if any) to which the Archives or other persons are to have access to those records and any such arrangements have effect notwithstanding anything contained in Division 3 of Part V. (3) Where an arrangement entered into by the Archives to accept the custody of records from a person other than a Commonwealth

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institution relates to a Commonwealth record, then, to the extent that arrangement, in so far as it relates to such a record, is inconsistent with a provision of Part V, that provision shall prevail.

PART III. THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL AND STAFF OF THE ARCHIVES 7. Director-General. - (1) There shall be a Director-General of the Australian Archives, who shall hold office under the Public Service Act 1922. (2) The Director-General, in addition to exercising powers or performing duties expressly conferred or imposed on him by this Act, may, in the name of the Archives, exercise any powers and perform any duties that are by this Act expressed to be conferred or imposed on the Archives. (3) The Minister may give directions, not inconsistent with this Act, to the DirectorGeneral in relation to the exercise of his powers, and the performance of his duties, under this Act. 8. Delegation by Director General. - ( . . . ) . 9. Staff. - ( . . . ) .

PART IV. THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON AUSTRALIAN ARCHIVES 10. Advisory Council on Australian Archives. - (1) There is established by this Act a Council by the name of the Advisory Council on Australian Archives. (2) The Council shall consist of - (a) a Senator chosen by the Senate; (b) a member of the House of Representatives chosen by that House; and (c) other members, appointed by the Minister. (3) A member chosen by either House of the Parliament holds office, subject to this Act, for such period, not exceeding 3 years, as is fixed by that House at the time of his choice. (4) A member appointed by the Minister holds office, subject to this Act, for such period, not exceeding 3 years, as the Minister specifies in the instrument of his appointment.

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(5) A member chosen by either House of the Parliament or appointed by the Minister is eligible for further choice or re-appointment. (...) 11. Functions of Council. - (1) The Council shall furnish advice to the Minister and the Director-General with respect to matters to which the functions of the Archives relate. (2) The Minister or the Director-General may refer any matter of the kind referred to in sub-section (1) to the Council for advice and the Council may, if it thinks fit, consider and advise the Minister or the Director-General on a matter of that kind of its own motion. 12. Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Council. - The Minister shall appoint a member to be Chairman of the Council and another member to be Deputy Chairman of the Council. 13. Deputies of members. - ( . . . ) . 14. Remuneration and allowances of members. - (. . .). 15. Termination of office of member. - ( . . . ) . 16. Resignation of member. - ( . . . ) . 17. Meetings of the Council. - (1) The Council shall hold such meetings as are necessary for the performance of its functions. (2) The Chairman may at any time convene a meeting of the Council. (3) The Chairman shall, on receipt of a request in writing signed by 2 other members of the Council, convene a meeting of the Council. (4) At a meeting of the Council a majority of the members of the Council constitute a quorum. (5) The Director-General is entitled to receive notice of meetings of the Council, and the Director-General, or a member of the staff of the Archives nominated by him, may attend any meeting of the Council and take such part in the proceedings, not including voting, as the Council approves. ( . . . )

PART V. COMMONWEALTH RECORDS Division 1. Preliminary 18. Records of the Parliament. - Subject to sections 20 and 21, Divisions 2 and 3 do not apply to records in the possession of the Senate, the House of Representatives or a Parliamentary Department. 19. Court records. - (1) Subject to sections 20 and 21, Divisions 2 and 3 do not apply to records in the possession of a court or of a registry of a court. (2) Divisions 4 and 5 do not apply to records in the possession of a court or of a registry of a court, other than records that are of an administrative nature. 20. Regulations and arrangements relating to certain records. - (1) Subject to this section, the regulations may provide that all or any of the provisions of Divisions 2 and 3 are, in such circumstances and subject to such conditions as are prescribed, to apply to all or any of the records referred to in section 18 or sub-section 19 (1), and may provide that those provisions are so to apply subject to such modifications as are prescribed. ( . . . ) (2) and (3) [consultation between the Minister and the appropriate office holders concerning the application of the provisions of Divisions 2 and 3 to records referred to in section 18 or sub-section 19 (1)] 21. Archives may be given custody of certain records. - (1) Subject to any regulations made in accordance with section 20, a person having the control of the custody of any records referred to in section 18 or sub-section 19 (1) may enter into arrangements with the Archives with respect to the custody of those records. (2) Arrangements referred to in sub-section (1) relating to the custody of records may provide for the extent (if any) to which the Archives or other persons are to have access to those records. 22. RecordsofRoyalCommissions.-(l) This section applies to the records kept by a Royal Commission, whether the inquiry was commenced or was completed before or after the commencement of this Part.

AUSTRALIA (2) The Commonwealth is entitled to the possession of records kept by a Royal Commission that are no longer required for the purposes of the Commission, and all such records shall be deemed to be Commonwealth records for the purposes of this Act. (3) Records referred to in sub-section (2) shall be kept in such custody as the responsible Minister directs and the Archives is not entitled to the custody of any such records except in accordance with such a direction. (...) (5) For the purposes of this Act, the Minister administering the Royal Commissions Act 1902 shall be deemed to be the responsible Minister in relation to the records of a Royal Commission. ( . . . ) 23. Records of inter-governmental authorities. - [regulations may exclude these authorities from the provisions of the Act or restrict their application].

Division 2. Dealing with Commonwealth Records 24. Disposal, destruction, &c., of Commonwealth records. - (1) Subject to this Part, a person shall not - (a) destroy or otherwise dispose of; (b) transfer, or be a party to the arrangements for the transfer of, the custody of; (c) transfer, or be a party to arrangements for the transfer of, the ownership of; (d) damage or alter, a Commonwealth record. Penalty: $2,000. (2) Sub-section (1) does not apply to anything done - (a) as required by any law; (b) with the permission of the Archives or in accordance with a practice or procedure approved by the Archives; (c) in accordance with a normal administrative practice, other than a practice of a Department or authority of the Commonwealth of which the Archives has notified the Department or authority that it disapproves; or (d) for the purpose of placing Commonwealth records that are not in the custody of the Commonwealth or of a Commonwealth institution in the custody of the Commonwealth or of a Commonwealth institution that is entitled to custody of the records.

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(3) Sub-section (1) does not apply to the destruction of a Commonwealth record, being a record to which sub-section 47(1), 70(1) or 107(1) of the Copyright Act 1968 applies, where the Director-General has declined to consent to the delivery of the record to the Australian Archives. (4) This section does not authorize the Archives to permit the destruction or other disposal of a Commonwealth record that is in the possession of, or has been received into the custody of the Archives from, a Commonwealth institution, without the consent of that institution or of a Commonwealth institution that has succeeded to the relevant functions of that institution. (5) For the purposes of the application of sub-section (1) to a record of a kind used by means of any mechanical or electronic device or equipment, including a computer, any treatment or modification of the record that would prevent the obtaining from the record of information or matter that could previously have been obtained from the record shall be deemed to be destruction of the record. 25. Advice to Council on disposal practices. (1) The Archives shall (a) as soon as practicable after the commencement of this Part, furnish to the Council a statement in writing setting out particulars of the practices followed by, or approved by, the Archives in respect of the destruction or other disposal of Commonwealth records whether or not those practices have been agreed upon between the Archives and any particular Commonwealth institution: (b) in a case where, after the commencement of this Part, the Archives alters, or approves any alteration of, any practice of a kind referred to paragraph (a), not being a practice agreed upon between the Archives and a Commonwealth institution furnish to the Council a statement setting out particulars of the alteration to that practice as soon as practicable after the Archives has decided to alter, or to approve the alteration of, that practice, and, where possible, before the implementation of the practices so altered; and (c) in a case where practices for the destruction or other disposal of Commonwealth records are agreed upon at any time after the

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commencement of this Part between the Archives and a Commonwealth institution furnish to the Council a statement setting out particulars of those practices as soon as practicable after those practices have been agreed upon and, where possible, before the implementation of those practices. ( . . . ) 26. Alteration of Commonwealth records. (1) Where a Commonwealth record has been in existence for more than 25 years, a person shall not add to, or otherwise alter, the record. Penalty: $2,000. (2) Sub-section (1) does not apply to anything done - (a) as required by any law; or (b) with the permission of the Archives or in accordance with a practice or procedure approved by the Archives. 27. Transfer of Commonwealth records to Archives. - (1) Subject to this part, when a Commonwealth record in the possession of a Commonwealth institution other than the Archives has ceased (whether before or after the commencement of this Part) to be required to be readily available for the purposes of a Commonwealth institution, the person responsible for the custody of the record shall, unless the record is lawfully destroyed, cause it to be transferred to the custody of the Archives in accordance with arrangements approved by the Archives. (2) Subject to this Part, where a Commonwealth record in the possession of a Commonwealth institution other than the Archives has been in existence as a Commonwealth record for 25 years, the Commonwealth institution shall, as soon as it is practicable to do so, cause the record to be transferred to the custody of the Archives in accordance with arrangements approved by the Archives. 28. Archives to have access to records. - Subject to this Part, the Archives is entitled, for the purposes of this Act, to full and free access, at all reasonable times, to all Commonwealth records in the custody of a Commonwealth institution other than the Archives. 29. Exemption of certain records. - (1) A Commonwealth institution, or a person hav-

ing authority to act on behalf of a Commonwealth institution, may, with the concurrence of the Director-General, determine that a Commonwealth record, or each record in a class of Commonwealth records, being a record or class of records in the possession of the Commonwealth institution or relating to the functions of the Commonwealth institution, is (a) a record that is not required to be transferred to the custody of the Archives under section 27; or (b) a record to which the Archives is not to be entitled to have access under section 28 or is not to be entitled to have access under that section otherwise than on specified conditions to be observed by the Archives, and such a determination has, effect for such period as is specified in the determination but may at any time be revoked by the Commonwealth institution or a person having autority to act on behalf of the Commonwealth institution. (2) Notwithstanding sub-section (1), the responsible Minister may determine that a Commonwealth record, or each record in a class of Commonwealth records, is (a) a record that is not required to be transferred to the custody of the Archives under section 27; or (b) a record to which the Archives is not to be entitled to have access under section 28 or is not to be entitled to have access under that section otherwise than on specified conditions to be observed by the Archives, and such a determination takes effect upon its being notified to the Archives and has effect for such period as is specified in the determination but may at any time be revoked by the responsible Minister. (3) The Archives may agree with a Commonwealth institution that records accepted into the custody of the Archives from that institution are to be held on certain conditions to be observed by the Archives, not being conditions inconsistent with this Part. (4) Where: (a) the Archives seeks access to a Commonwealth record that is not in the custody of the Archives: and (b) a person responsible for the custody of the record considers that it might be appropriate for a determination to be made under sub-section (2) applying paragraph (2) (b) to the record, the

AUSTRALIA person so responsible may forthwith notify the Archives that he so considers and take appropriate action for enabling consideration to be given by the responsible Minister to the making of such a determination. (5) Where a notification under sub-section (4) has been given in respect of a record, the Archives is not entitled to access to the record for a period of one month from the date on which the notification was given, but, if the notification is withdrawn by the person responsible for the custody of the record before the expiration of that period, this sub-section ceases to have effect in relation to the record. (6) A record that is in the open access period is not, by virtue of a determination under sub-section (1), a record to which paragraph (1) (b) applies unless there is in force a certificate of a Minister under section 34 in respect of the record. (7) A record that is in the open access period is not, by virtue of a determination under sub-section (2), a record to which paragraph (2) (b) applies unless there is in force a certificate of a Minister under section 34 in respect of the record. (8) The concurrence of the Director-General is not required for the making of a determination under sub-section (1) by, or by a person having authority to act on behalf of, any of the following Commonwealth institutions, namely: (a) the Australian Security Intelligence Organization; (b) the Australian Secret Intelligence Service; (c) the Defence Signals Directorate; (d) the Defence Intelligence Organization; (e) the Office of National Assessments; and (f) the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security. 30. Commonwealth records to be available to Commonwealth institutions. - (1) The Archives shall ensure that all Commonwealth records received into its custody from a Commonwealth institution are made available, as reasonably required, for use by, or at the direction of, that institution or a Commonwealth institution that has succeeded to the relevant functions of that institution. (2) Where a record that has been in existence for more than 25 years is made available to a Commonwealth institution under subsection (1), the record shall not be made

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available in a manner that involves its leaving the custody of the archives except as necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Commonwealth institution.

Division 3. Access to Commonwealth Records 31. Records in open access period to be publicly available. - (1) Subject to this Part, the Archives shall cause all Commonwealth records in the open access period that are in the custody of the Archives or of a Commonwealth institution, other than exempt records, to be made available for public access. (2) A Commonwealth institution that has the custody of Commonwealth records in the open access period, other than exempt records, shall make such arrangements with the Archives as will enable the Archives to meet its obligations under sub-section (1) in relation to those records. (3) Subject to any regulations made under section 20, sub-section (2) does not apply to (a) the Senate, the House of Representatives or a Parliamentary Department, in relation to records in the possession of the Senate, the House of Representatives or the Parliamentary Department; or (b) a court, in relation to records in the possession of that court or of a registry of that court. (4) The Archives may withhold a Commonwealth record or a class of Commonwealth records from public access for a reasonable time pending examination in accordance with section 35. 32. Consultation with States. - (1) Where it appears to the Minister that the Government of a State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, might reasonably wish to contend that the making available of a record under section 31 could adversely affect the interests of that State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be, the record shall not be made available unless there has been consultation between the Commonwealth and that State or the Northern Territory. ( . . . ) 33. Exempt records. - (1) For the purposes of this Act, a Commonwealth record is an

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exempt record if it contains information or matter of any of the following kinds: (a) information or matter the disclosure of which under this Act could reasonably be expected to cause damage to the security, defence or international relations of the Commonwealth; (b) information or matter communicated in confidence by or on behalf of a foreign government, an authority of a foreign government or an international organization to the Government of the Commonwealth, to an authority of the Commonwealth or to a person receiving the communication on behalf of the Commonwealth or of an authority of the Commonwealth, being information or matter the disclosure of which under this Act would constitute a breach of that confidence; (c) information or matter the disclosure of which under this Act would have a substantial adverse effect on the financial or property interests of the Commonwealth or of a Commonwealth institution and would not, on balance, be in the public interest; (d) information or matter the disclosure of which under this Act would constitute a breach of confidence; (e) information or matter the disclosure of which under this Act would, or could reasonably be expected to (i) prejudice the conduct of an investigation of a breach, or possible breach, of the law, or a failure, or possible failure, to comply with a law relating to taxation or prejudice the enforcement or proper administration of the law in a particular instance; (ii) disclose, or enable a person to ascertain, the existence or identity of a confidential source of information in relation to the enforcement or administration of the law; or (iii) endanger the life or physical safety of any person; (f) information or matter the disclosure of which under this Act would, or could reasonably be expected to (i) prejudice the fair trail of a person or the impartial adjudication of a particular case; (ii) disclose lawful methods or procedures for preventing, detecting, investigating, or dealing with matters arising out of, breaches or evasions of the law the disclosure of which would, or would be reasonably likely to, pre-

judice the effectiveness of those methods or procedures; or (iii) prejudice the maintenance or enforcement of lawful methods for the protection of public safety; (g) information or matter the disclosure of which under this Act would involve the unreasonable disclosure of information relating to the personal affairs of any person (including a deceased person); (h) information or matter relating to trade secrets, or any other information or matter having a commercial value that would be, or could reasonably be expected to be, destroyed or diminished if the information or matter were disclosed; (j) information or matter (other than information or matter referred to in paragraph (h)) concerning a person in respect of his business or professional affairs or concerning the business, commercial or financial affairs of an organization or undertaking, being information or matter the disclosure of which would, or could reasonably be expected to, unreasonably affect that person adversely in respect of this lawful business or professional affairs or that organization or undertaking in respect of its lawful business, commercial or financial affairs. (2) For the purposes of this Act, a Commonwealth record is an exempt record if it is of such a nature that - (a) it would be privileged from production in legal proceedings on the ground of legal professional privilege; and (b) disclosure of the record would be contrary to the public interest. (3) For the purposes of this Act, a Commonwealth record is an exempt record if (a) it contains information or matter (i) that relates to the personal affairs, or the business or professional affairs, of any person (including a deceased person); or (ii) that relates to the business, commercial or financial affairs of an organization or undertaking; and (b) there is in force a law relating to taxation that applies specifically to information or matter of that kind and prohibits persons referred to in that law from disclosing information or matter of that kind, whether the prohibition is absolute or is subject to exceptions or qualifications. ( . . . )

AUSTRALIA (5) A reference in this section to an undertaking includes a reference to an undertaking that is carried on by, or by an authority of, the Commonwealth, a State or the Northern Territory or by a local government authority. 34. Certificates by Ministers as to certain exempt records. - (1) Where a Minister is satisfied that a record contains information or matter of a kind referred to in paragraph 33 (1) (a) or (b), whether or not the record has been examined in accordance with section 35 and whether or not a decision has been given in respect of the record under that section, he may sign a certificate to that effect and, subject to the operation of this Part, such a certificate, so long as it remains in force, establishes conclusively that the record is an exempt record referred to in the relevant paragraph of sub-section 33 (1). (2) Where a Minister is satisfied as mentioned in sub-section (1) by reason only of information or matter contained in a particular part or particular parts of a record, the certificate under that sub-section in respect of the record shall identify that part or those parts of the record as containing the information or matter by reason of which the certificate is given. (3) Where a Minister is satisfied that information as to the existence or non-existence of a record as described in an application for access would, if contained in another record, cause that other record to be an exempt record for the reason that it would contain information or matter of a kind referred to in paragraph 33 (1) (a) or (b), he may sign a certificate to that effect (specifying that reason). (4) The regulations may prescribe a period as the period during which certificates under sub-section (1) or (3), or any specified class of such certificates, remain in force unless sooner revoked. ( . . . ) (7) Where a certificate under this section is in force in respect of a record, the record is not subject to examination under section 35. (8) [delegation of Minister's powers under this section] ( . . . ) 35. Identification of exempt records. (1) The Director-General, in consultation

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with the responsible Minister or a person authorized by the responsible Minister, shall make arrangements for determining the Commonwealth records in the open access period that are to be treated by the Archives as being exempt records and may make arrangements for determining the extent to which access in part to Commonwealth records identified as exempt records may be given without disclosing the information or matter by reason of which the records are exempt records. (2) Except in the case of records exempted from transfer to the custody of Archives by virtue of a determination under section 29, an examination of records for the purposes of sub-section (1) shall be conducted on the premises of the Archives. (3) The identification of records as exempt records in accordance with this section shall be conducted in accordance with programs approved by the Director-General and may take place before the records concerned become records in the open access period. ( . . . ) 36. Forms of access. - (1) Where the Archives is required by this Part to cause a record to be made available for public access, any person is, subject to this Part, entitled to access to the record. (2) Access to a record may be given to a person in one or more of the following forms (a) a reasonable opportunity to inspect the record; (b) on payment of a charge determined in accordance with the regulations, provision to the person of a copy of the record; (c) in the case of a record from which information or matter can be produced or made available in a particular form by means of a computer, projector or other equipment, provision, on payment of a charge determined in accordance with the regulations, of access to that information or matter by the use of that equipment; (d) in the case of a record by which words are recorded in a manner in which they are capable of being reproduced in the form of sound or in which words are contained in the form of shorthand writing or in codified form, provision, on payment of a charge determined in accordance with the regulations, of a written transcript of the words recorded or contained in the record. (3) Subject to sub-section (4), where a per-

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son has applied for access in a particular form, access shall be given in that form. (4) Where the giving of access under this Part in the form requested by the person in his application for access - (a) would interfere unreasonably with the operations of the Archives or of another Commonwealth institution that has custody of the record; (b) would not, having regard to the physical nature of the record, be appropriate; (c) would be detrimental to the preservation of the record; or (d) would, but for this Act, involve an infringement of copyright (other than copyright owned by the Commonwealth, a Commonwealth institution, a State or the Northern Territory) ( . . . ) , access in that form may be refused and access given in another form ( . . . ) . 37. Conditions in respect of proper care of records. - (1) The Director-General may, for the purpose of ensuring the safe custody and proper preservation of any record, determine reasonable conditions to which access to the record is to be subject, or determine that the record is to be withheld from public access. (2) Where a record is withheld in accordance with sub-section (1), a copy shall be provided where, in the opinion of the Director-General, it is practicable to do so without detriment to the proper preservation or safe custody of the record. 38. Access to part of exempt record. - Where a record that would otherwise be required to be made available for public access under this Part is an exempt record, the Archives may, where it is reasonably practicable to do so, make arrangements for part of, or a copy of part of, that record to which access could be given without disclosing information or matter by reason of which the record is an exempt record to be made available for public access in accordance with this Part. 39. Information as to existence of certain documents - (1) Nothing in this Act shall be taken to require the Archives to give information as to the existence or non-existence of a record where information as to the existence or non-existence of that record, if in-

cluded in a Commonwealth record, would cause that last-mentioned record to be an exempt record by virtue of paragraph 33 (1) (a), (b) or (e). (2) Where an application to the Archives for access to a record relates to a record that is, or if it existed would be, of a kind referred to in sub-section (1), the Archives may give notice in writing to the applicant that the Archives neither confirms nor denies the existence, as a Commonwealth record, of such a record but that, assuming the existence of such a record, it would be an exempt record, and, where such a notice is given - (a) section 40 applies as if the decision to give such a notice were a decision referred to in that section; and (b) the decision to give the notice shall, for the purposes of Division 4, be deemed to be a decision of the Archives refusing to grant the applicant access to the record on the ground that the record is an exempt record under paragraph 33 (1) (a), (b) or (e), as the case may be. 40. Notification of Decisions. - (1) This section applies in relation to an application to the Archives for access, or for an extension of partial access, to a record referred to in section 31, being an application - (a) in writing; (b) expressed to be made in accordance with this section; (c) specifying an address in Australia at which notices under this Act may be sent to the person making the application; and (d) providing such particulars, if any, concerning the record to which it relates as are contained in the Australian National Guide to Archival Material. (2) The Archives shall give all reasonable assistance to persons to enable them to make applications complying with paragraph (1) (d). (3) Where an application to which this section is made, the Archives shall take all reasonable steps to enable the applicant to be notified of a decision on the application as soon as practicable but in any case not later than 90 days after the day on which the application is received by the Archives. ( . . . ) (5) Where, in relation to an application, a decision is made relating to a refusal to grant access to a record in accordance with the application, the decision-maker shall cause

AUSTRALIA the applicant to be given notice in writing of the decision and the notice shall (a) state the findings on any material questions of fact, referring to the material on which those findings were based, and state the reasons for the decision; (b) where the decision is a decision of the Archives - state the name and designation of the person making the decision; and (c) give to the applicant appropriate information concerning (1) his rights with respect to a review of the decision; (ii) his rights to make a complaint to the Ombudsman in relation to the decision; and (iii) the procedure for the exercise of the rights referred to in sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii), including (where applicable) particulars of the manner in which an application for review under section 42 may be made. ( . . . )

Division 4. Review of Decisions 41. Interpretation. - ( . . . ) . 42. Internal reconsideration of decisions. (1) Where a person has made an application to which section 40 applies and is dissatisfied with the decision on the application, he may, within 28 days after the day on which notice of the decision was given to him or within such further period as the Archives allows, apply in writing to the Archives for a reconsideration of the decision. (2) Where an application for reconsideration of a decision is made in accordance with this section, the Archives shall - (a) reconsider the decision and for that purpose arrange for any necessary review under section 35 of a determination under that section; and (b) as expeditiously as practicable, give notice to the applicant of the decision reached on the reconsideration (whether or not that decision confirms the previous decision). ( . . . ) 43. Applications to Administrative Appeals Tribunal. - (1) Subject to this section, an application may be made to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for a review of a decision of the Archives in respect of access to a

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record, being - (a) a decision refusing to grant to the applicant access to the record on the ground that the record is an exempt record or is a Commonwealth record to which Division 3 does not apply; (b) a decision refusing to grant an extension of partial access to the record on the ground that the record is an exempt record and it is not practicable to make arrangements for giving the further access desired by the applicant in a form that would not disclose information or matter by reason of which the record is an exempt record; (c) a decision refusing to grant to the applicant access to the record on the ground that the record has been withheld from public access pending examination of the record under section 35; (d) a decision refusing to grant to the applicant access to the record on the ground that a determination has been made under section 37 that the record is to be withheld from public access or refusing to grant to the applicant access to the record otherwise than on specified conditions determined under that section; (e) a decision refusing to grant to the applicant access to the record in a particular form by reason of paragraph 36 (4) (a) (b) or (d); or (f) a decision refusing to allow a further period for making an application under sub-section 42 (1) for a reconsideration of a decision. ( . . . ) 44. Powers of Tribunal. - (1) Subject to this section, in proceedings under this Division, the Tribunal has, in addition to any other power, the power to review any decision of the Archives upon an application for access to a record and to decide any matter in relation to that application that, under this Act, could have been or could be decided by the Archives, and any decision of the Tribunal under this section has the same effect as a decision of the Archives. (2) Where an applicant makes an application under section 43 in respect of a decision of the kind referred to in paragraph (1) (d) of that section, the Tribunal has power to grant access to the record to which the application relates, or to grant access to that record on particular conditions, notwithstanding any determination made by the Director-General under section 37 in relation to that record. (3) Where, in proceedings before the Tri-

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bunal in pursuance of an application under section 43, it is established that a record is an exempt record, the Tribunal does not, except as provided by sub-section (7), have power to decide that access is to be granted to the record. (4) Where there is in force in respect of a record a certificate under section 34, the powers of the Tribunal do not extend to reviewing the decision to give the certificate ( . . . ) . (5) Where application is or has been made to the Tribunal for the review of a decision refusing to grant access to a record in accordance with an application under section 40, being a record that is claimed to be an exempt record under paragraph 33 (1) (a) or (b) and in respect of which a certificate is in force under sub-section 34 (1), the Tribunal shall, if the applicant so requests, determine the question whether there exists reasonable grounds for that claim. (6) Where application is or has been made to the Tribunal for the review of a decision refusing to grant access to a record in accordance with an application under section 40, being a record in respect of which a certificate is in force under sub-section 34 (3), the Tribunal shall, if the applicant so requests, determine the question whether there exist reasonable grounds for the claim that information as to the existence or non-existence of the record would, if contained in another record, cause that other record to be an exempt record for the reason that it would contain information or matter of a kind referred to in paragraph 33 (1) (a) or (b). (7) On a review in pursuance of an application to the Tribunal under section 43, the Tribunal may, if it is satisfied that it would be practicable to give access to, or to a copy of, part of an exempt record in a form that would not disclose information or matter by reason of which the record is an exempt record, direct that access be given accordingly. 45. Proceedings upon exercise of powers under sub-section 44 (5) or (6). - (1) Where, in considering a question referred to in subsection 44 (5) or (6) in relation to a record in respect of which a certificate has been given, the Tribunal determines that there do not exist reasonable grounds for the claim to

which the question relates, the appropriate Minister shall, not later than 28 days after the determination of the Tribunal is communicated to him, make a decision - (a) to revoke the certificate or (b) not to revoke the certificate. (2) Where a Minister makes a decision under sub-section (1) to revoke a certificate (a) in a case where the certificate was given under sub-section 34 (1) - the claim that the record to which the certificate relates is an exempt record shall be taken, for the purposes of this Act, to have been withdrawn: and (b) in a case where the certificate was given under sub-section 34 (3) - the Minister shall, forthwith upon the revocation of the certificate, inform the applicant of the existence or nonexistence of the record to which the certificate relates. (3) Where a Minister makes a decision under sub-section (1) not to revoke a certificate, he shall - (a) cause notice in writing of the decision to be furnished to the applicant forthwith; and (b) cause a copy of the notice to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 5 sitting days of that House after the notice is so furnished. (4) A notice under sub-section (3) shall state the findings of the Minister giving the notice on any material question of fact, the material on which those findings were based, and the reasons for the decision. ( . . . ) (9) For the purposes of this section, 'appropriate Minister', in relation to a record in respect of which a certificate has been given under section 34, means the Minister who gave, or whose delegate gave, the certificate. 46. Constitution of Tribunal for Purposes of Proceedings under sub-section 44 (5) or (6). (1) Where a request is made to the Tribunal in accordance with sub-section 44 (5) or (6), the Tribunal shall be constituted in accordance with sub-section (2) for the purposes of any proceeding for the determination of the question to which the request relates. (2) For the purposes of a proceeding referred to in sub-section (1), the Tribunal shall be constituted by (a) 3 presidental members: or (b) a presidential member alone.

AUSTRALIA 47. Hearing of certain proceedings before the Tribunal. - ( . . . ) (2) At the hearing of a proceeding referred to in sub-section 46 (1), the Tribunal - (a) shall hold in private the hearing of any part of the proceeding during which evidence or information is given, or a record or other document is produced, to the Tribunal by (i) a Commonwealth institution or an officer of a Commonwealth institution; (ii) a Minister or a member of the staff of a Minister; or (iii) a member, an officer, or a member of the staff of a body referred to in sub-section 29 (8), or during which a submission is made to the Tribunal by or on behalf of a Commonwealth institution or a Minister ( . . . ) ; ar>d (b) subject to sub-section (4), shall hold the hearing of any other part of the proceeding in public. ( . . . ) (4) Where, in relation to a proceeding referred to in sub-section 46 (1), the Tribunal is satisfied that it is desirable to do so by reason of the confidential nature of any evidence, information or matter or for any other reason, the Tribunal may, by order (a) direct that the hearing of a part of the proceeding that, but for this sub-section, would be held in public shall take place in private and give directions as to the persons who may be present at the hearing; (b) give directions prohibiting or restricting the publication of (i) the contents of any record or other document lodged with the Tribunal in relation to the proceeding; or (ii) any evidence or information given to the Tribunal, the contents of any record or other document received in evidence by the Tribunal, or any submission made to the Tribunal, in relation to the proceeding otherwise than at a hearing held in private in accordance with sub-section (2); or (c) give directions prohibiting or restricting the disclosure to some or all of the parties to the proceeding of evidence given before the Tribunal, or the contents of a record or other document lodged with, or received in evidence by, the Tribunal, in relation to the proceeding. ( . . . )

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48. Modification of section 42 of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975. - [decisions about questions of law by Administrative Appeals Tribunals constituted in accordance with sub-section 46 (2)] 49. Production to the Tribunal of records in relation to which a certificate has been issued. - (1) In any proceedings before the Tribunal under this Act in relation to a record in respect of which there is in force a certificate under section 34 the Tribunal is entitled to require the production of the record in accordance with this section and not otherwise. (2) Where, in considering a question referred to in sub-section 44 (5) or (6) in relation to a record, the Tribunal is not satisfied, by evidence on affidavit or otherwise, that there exist reasonable grounds for the claim to which the question relates, the Tribunal may require the record to be produced for inspection by the Tribunal as constituted for the purposes of the proceeding. 50. Parties. - ( . . . ) . 51. Onus. - In proceedings before the Tribunal in pursuance of an application under section 43 - (a) the Archives has the onus of establishing that a decision given by the Archives was justified or that the Tribunal should give a decision adverse to the applicant; and (b) the Tribunal is not restricted by any determination made at any time under section 35. 52. Tribunal to ensure non-disclosure of certain matters. - ( . . . ) . 53. Production of exempt records. - (1) Section 37 of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 does not apply to a document that is claimed to be an exempt record but, in proceedings before the Tribunal in relation to such a document, if the Tribunal is not satisfied, by evidence of affidavit or otherwise, that the document is an exempt record, it may require the document to be produced for inspection by members of the Tribunal only (...). (2) The Tribunal may require the production, for inspection by members of the Tri-

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bunal only, of an exempt record for the purpose of determining whether, and to what extent, it is practicable for arrangements to be made in accordance with section 38 ( . . . ) . (3) Notwithstanding sub-sections (1) and (2), but subject to sub-section (4), the Tribunal is not empowered, in any proceedings other than proceedings to determine a question referred to in sub-section 44 (5) or (6), to require - (a) the production of a record in respect of which a certificate is in force under sub-section 34 (1); or (b) the giving of information in respect of which a certificate is in force under sub-section 34 (3). (4) Where a certificate of a kind referred to in sub-section (3) identifies a part or parts of the record concerned in the manner provided in sub-section 34 (2) sub-section (3) does not prevent the Tribunal from requiring the production, in any proceedings before the Tribunal under this Act in relation to the record, of a copy of so much of the record as is not included in the part or parts so identified. (...) 54. Evidence of certificates. - ( . . . ) . 55. Complaints to Ombudsman. - ( . . . ) . (4) When a complaint is made to the Ombudsman under the Ombudsman Act 1976 concerning a decision under this Act, an application to the Tribunal for a review of the decision shall not be made before the Ombudsman has informed the applicant of the result of the complaint in accordance with section 12 of that Act. ( . . . )

Division 5. Miscellaneous 56. Arrangements for accelerated or special access. - (1) The Minister or a person authorized by him may, in accordance with arrangements approved by the Prime Minister, cause all records in a particular class of Commonwealth records not in the open access period to be available for public access. (2) The Minister or a person authorised by the Minister may, in accordance with arrangements approved by the Prime Minister, cause Commonwealth records to be made available to a person in such circumstances as are

specified in the regulations notwithstanding that the Commonwealth records concerned are not otherwise available for public access under this Act. (3) Where records made available to a person by virtue of sub-section (2) are so made available on conditions to be observed by that person, that person shall not contravene those conditions. Penalty: $2,000. ( . . . ) 57. Protection against certain actions. - ( . . . ) . 58. Access to records apart from Act. - ( . . . ) . 59. Security classifications. - ( . . . ) . 60. Transitional provisions relating to access.

PART VI. OBJECTS OF ARCHIVAL SIGNIFICANCE 61. Declaration of objects of archival significance. - (1) When it appears to the Minister that a particular object that is the property of the Commonwealth or of a Commonwealth institution is ( . . . ) part of the archival resources of the Commonwealth, he may, by notice in the Gazette, declare the object, or every such object, to be an object to which this section applies. (2) If an object to which this section applies has ceased ( . . . ) to be required to be readily available for the purposes of a Commonwealth institution, the person responsible for the custody of the object shall, if the Archives so requires, cause it to be transferred to the custody of the Archives in accordance with arrangements approved by the Archives. (3) A person shall not destroy or otherwise dispose of or damage any object to which this section applies without the permission of the Archives. Penalty: $2,000. 62. Samples of material for Archives. - ( . . . ) .

AUSTRALIA PART VII. CARE OF MATERIAL OF THE ARCHIVES 63. Location of material of the Archives. (1) Subject to this Part, material of the Archives shall be kept at such places as the Director-General considers appropriate. (2) In considering the places at which material of the Archives should be kept, the Director-General shall take into account - (a) the convenience of persons who are likely to require access to the material; (b) the desirability of keeping related material in the same place; and (c) the appropriateness of keeping in a State or Territory material that relates in particular to that State or Territory or to places in that State or Territory. (3) Copies of records forming part of the material of the Archives may be kept in such places as the Director-General considers appropriate. 64. Custody of material of the Archives other than by Archives. - (1) Subject to any other law of the Commonwealth and to the rights of Commonwealth institutions, where the Director-General considers it appropriate to do so, the Archives may make arrangements with a person for material of the Archives to be kept in the custody of that person. (2) Arrangements referred to in sub-section (1) shall provide for the care of the material of the Archives to which they relate and for the regular inspection of that material by the Archives. (3) All material of the Archives that has been delivered to the Archives in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968, other than Commonwealth records, shall, subject to the consent of the Director-General of the National Library of Australia, be deposited with the National Library of Australia.

PART VIII. REGISTERS AND GUIDE RELATING TO ARCHIVES 65. Australian National Register of Records. - (1) The Archives shall maintain a register to be known as the Australian National Register of Records. (2) The Register shall contain such particu-

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lars of the material of the Archives as the Director-General considers appropriate. (3) The Register may also contain such particulars as the Director-General considers appropriate of - (a) current Commonwealth records; (b) material in State archives; (c) material in other archives, including private archives; and (d) other archival resources relating to Australia. (4) For the purposes of this section, the Archives shall seek the co-operation of the owners and custodians of material in State archives and other archives. 66. Australian National Guide to Archival Material. - (1) The Archives shall maintain a guide to be known as the Australian National Guide to Archival Material. (2) Subject to sub-section (4), the Guide shall contain particulars, in such form as the Director-General considers appropriate, of all Commonwealth records in the open access period that have been examined in accordance with sub-section 35 (1), other than (a) records with respect to the whole of which a certificate under section 34 is in force; and (b) parts of records identified in accordance with sub-section 34 (2) in a certificate under section 34. (3) Subject to sub-section (4), the Guide may also contain copies of particulars contained in the Australian Register of Records. (4) The Guide shall not include - (a) particulars that would disclose any information or matter of a kind referred to in section 33; or (b) particulars the disclosure of which would be contrary to any arrangements entered into by the Archives in accordance with this Act. (5) A copy of the Guide shall be kept at the principal office of the Archives in each State and Territory in which the Archives maintains an office and may be kept at such other offices of the Archives as the Director-General considers appropriate. (6) A person may inspect the Guide and is entitled, on the payment of the appropriate charge determined under the regulations to receive a copy of the Guide or any part of the Guide. 67. Australian National Register of Research Involving Archives. - (1) The Archives shall

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establish and maintain a register to be known as the Australian Register of Research Involving Archives in which the Archives shall endeavour to list all research that is being, or has been, conducted in or in relation to Australia and has involved, or will involve, the use of archival material. (2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), the Archives shall seek the co-operation of all persons and organizations interested in research of the kind referred to in that subsection, including the authorities of the State responsible for State archives and the universities. ( . . . )

PART IX. MISCELLANEOUS (68) Annual Report. - (1) The Archives shall, as soon as practicable after 30 June in each year, prepare and furnish to the Minister a report of its operations during the 12 months ending on that date. (2) The Council shall, as soon as practicable after 30 June in each year, prepare and furnish to the Minister a report concerning the proceedings of the Council during the 12 months ending on that date. ( . . . ) (4) The Minister shall cause a copy of a report furnished to him by the Archives or the Council under this section to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the report is received by him. (69) Certified copies of records. - ( . . . ) . (69A) Charges for discretionary services for Commonwealth institutions. - Where: (a) the Archives provides a discretionary service for a Commonwealth institution; and (b) this Act does not otherwise provide for a charge for the service; the Archives may make a charge for the service of an amount, or at a rate, determined in writing by the Director-General. (70) Transitional. - ( . . . ) .

(71) Regulations. - The Director-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing all matters: (a) required or permitted by this Act to be prescribed; or (b) necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act, including ( . . . ) regulations making provision for or in relation to the making of, or the requiring of deposits on account of, charges of amounts, or at rates, fixed by or in accordance with the regulations in respect of - (c) searches carried out to comply with applications made for access to, or for information contained in, records; (d) the provision of copies or transcripts of records in pursuance of applications made in accordance with this Act; (e) the provision of prescribed discretionary services for persons other than Commonwealth institutions.

QUEENSLAND Libraries and Archives Act, 19881 (3) Repeal. - [this Act repeals all earlier state legislation relating to archives]. (5) Interpretation. - The definition of 'public authority' is extended to include statutory bodies. Subsection (2) rewords the definition of 'public record' to that which includes 'the documentary, photographic, electronic, mechanical or other records of a public authority'.

PART V. [RELATING TO PUBLIC RECORDS] 50. Queensland State Archives. - There shall continue to be an office in Queensland to be known as the Queensland State Archives the functions of which are to promote the making and preservation of the public records of Queensland, to exercise control over their retention and disposal, to provide facilities for their storage and use and to provide administration in respect of anything stored by it.

1 A summary supplied by the Australian Archives is published here.

AUSTRALIA 51. State Archivist. - [allows for the appointment of a State Archivist by the Governor in Council, who is subject to directions from the Minister, the Library Board and Director and the State Librarian, and who is to manage the Queensland State Archives and discharge its functions]. 52. Making, preservation and custody of public records. - [outlines the responsibilities of the public authority to cause complete and accurate records of the public authority to be made and preserved and take all reasonable steps to implement the recommendations of the State Archivist concerning the making and preservation of public records]. 53. Inspection of public records. - (1) The State Archivist has a right to inspect public records in official custody to ensure that public records are being preserved. (2) A person obstructing the State Archivist in the exercise of this power is liable to incur penalty. 55. Public records protected. - (1) A person shall not dispose of public records other than by depositing them with the Queensland State Archives - (a) unless - (i) the State Archivist has authorised the disposal; or (ii) notice in writing of his intention to do so has been given by him ( . . . ) and a period of at least two months has elapsed since the giving of the notice. (8) A person disposes of a public record if he sells or otherwise transfers, or destroys, abandons or otherwise does away with, public records. The State Archivist has two months to respond to a request from a public authority to dispose of records other than through deposit. 56. Recovery of public records improperly held. - (1) If the State Achivist has reason to believe that public records are in the possession of a person otherwise than in his official capacity as an officer or agent of a public authority, the State Archivist ( . . . ) may direct the person to desposit the public records with the Queensland State Archives.

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57. Public records over 30 years old. - Public records shall be deposited with the Queensland State Archives as soon as practicable after the expiration of a period of 30 years from the time they were brought into existence unless (a) the public authority to which the public records belong, by notice in writing given to the State Archivist, exempts them from deposit; or (b) the State Archivist exempts the public records from deposit. 59. Return of public records to public authority. - (1) Where a public authority notifies the State Archivist that public records of the public authority are required by the public authority the State Archivist shall deliver them to the public authority. (2) If the records are at least 30 years old the State Archivist shall not return public records to the public authority unless the State Archivist is satisfied that it is necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the public authority. 60. Special protection for public records over 30 years. - A person shall not add to or alter public records that have been in existence for 30 years except as required by law or in accordance with directions given by the State Archivist. 61. Secrecy. - (1) Subject to subsection (2), where under any Act or under any Proclamation, Order in Council, regulation, rule, bylaw or Ordinance made under any Act, it is an offence for an officer of public authority and for staff at the Queensland State Archives to give access to a public record, or to make a disclosure of information contained in a public record, because of the confidential nature of the information contained therein. (2) It shall be a defence to a charge under this section for the defendent to prove that he did not have knowledge or that he was not aware that the giving of the access or the making of the disclosure was an offence in the circumstances that applied.

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SOUTH AUSTRALIA Libraries Act, 1982

PART III. PUBLIC RECORDS 31. Deposit of public records. - (1) Subject to subsection (2), a person who has the custody of public records may deposit any such records with the Board. 2 (2) The Board may, in its discretion, decline to receive any such public records. 32. Notice of proposed sale, etc., of public records to be given. - (1) Subject to subsection (2), a person shall not sell, destroy or otherwise dispose of public records unless he has given the Board at least one month's notice in writing of the existence of the public records and of his intention to sell, destroy or otherwise dispose of them. Penalty: $500. (2) Notice need not be given under subsection (1) in respect of records which may, according to principles or determinations promulgated by the Board, be sold, destroyed or disposed of without such notice. (3) In any case where notice is given, the Board or an officer authorized by the Board may inspect and take possession of the public records or may, by notice in writing to the person who has charge of the records, require that person to deposit the records with the Board. (4) A person of whom a requirement is made under subsection (3) shall comply forthwith with that requirement. Penalty: $ 500. 33. Order for delivering up of public records. - (1) If a person has custody or possession of public records otherwise in an official capacity, a court of summary jurisdiction may, on the complaint of the Board, or an officer authorized by the Board, order that person to deliver the public records to the Board on or before a day specified in the order. (2) If a person fails to comply with an order of a court of summary jurisdiction under subsection (1), he shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a penalty of not more than one 2 Libraries Board of South Australia.

hundred dollars for every day during which the default continues. (3) In proceedings under this section, an allegation in a complaint that a person has custody or possession of public records otherwise than in an official capacity, shall be deemed to be proved in the absence of proof to the contrary. 34. Dealings with public records by the Board. - (1) The Board may appoint places for the custody of public records that have been delivered into its possession. (2) Where in the opinion of the Board public records are not worthy of preservation the Board may destroy or otherwise dispose of those public records. (3) Before the Board exercises its powers under subsection (2) it should, wherever practicable, consult with the person from whom the public records were obtained and any other person who has, in the opinion of the Board, a substantial interest in the records.

TASMANIA Archives Act 1983 3. (1) In this Act, except in so far as the context or subject matter otherwise indicates or requires 'Archives Office' means the Archives Office of Tasmania and any branch of that office and includes any premises at which State archives are deposited or stored; ( . . . ) 'public State record' means a register or other State record kept in accordance with a duty or responsibility imposed, or a power or authority conferred, by or under an Act, for the information of the public and available under that Act for public inspection; 'record' means a document or an object that is, or has been, made or kept by reason of any information or matter that it contains or can be obtained from it or by reason of its connection with any event, person, circumstance, or thing; ( . . . ) 'State record' means (a) a Crown record; (b) a record of a State authority; or (c) a

AUSTRALIA record of a local authority; but does not include a record of the Parliament of Tasmania. (...) (5) Without limiting the generality of the definition of the expression 'record' in subsection (1) - (a) the reference to a document in that definition includes a reference to any printed or written material; and (b) the reference to an object in that definition includes a reference to sound recording, coded storage device, magnetic tape or disc, microfilm, photograph, film, map, plan, or model or painting or other pictorial or graphic work. (...) 8. (1) The State Archivist is responsible for (a) the care of the State archives; (b) taking all practicable steps for the preservation of the State archives; (c) making and authenticating copies of materials or parts of materials kept in the State archives required as evidence in legal proceedings or for other purposes; and (d) performing such other duties as are prescribed by or under this Act. (2) The State Archivist is empowered to do all such things as appear to him to be necessary or expedient for ensuring the proper functioning of the Archives Office and may ( . . . ) (a) compile and make available indexes and guides to, and calendars and texts of, the records deposited in the Archives Office; (b) prepare publications concerning the activities of, and facilities provided by, the Archives Office and State Archivist; (c) arrange for the publication, on such terms and conditions as the State Archivist or the Minister thinks fit, of any of the State archives or of any article prepared from records in the State archives; (d) accept responsibility for the safe-keeping of documents and objects which are not State records; (e) make arrangements for the separate housing of films and other objects which have to be kept under special conditions; (f) lend State archives for display at exhibitions and for other purposes; and (g) acquire records by purchase, gift, or bequest or on loan. (...) 10. In relation to records made for or kept for the purposes, or in connection with the administration, of a Government department, a State authority, or a local authority, the rele-

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vant authority - (a) shall cause all such records to be preserved until dealt with as provided by this Act; and (b) may ( . . . ) take legal proceedings for the recovery of any such records if he no longer has legal custody of them. (2) Where the State Archivist believes on reasonable ground that any State records are being kept under the control of a relevant authority, the State Archivist may - (a) after giving not less than 2 days' notice to the authority, enter and inspect any place under the control of that authority or any place at which he believes on reasonable grounds that any such records are being kept, (b) inspect any State records kept at any place entered at any place pursuant to paragraph (a); and (c) give advice in writing to the relevant authority with respect to the keeping, organization, and preservation of any State records under the control of the authority. 11. (1) ( . . . ) when a State record ( . . . ) has ceased ( . . . ) to be required to be readily available for the purposes of the Crown or, as the case may be, the State or local authority or, in the case of a record that is a public State record, to be readily available for public use or reference, the relevant authority shall, unless the record has been lawfully destroyed, cause it to be delivered to the State Archivist, in accordance with arrangements made or approved by him, for depositing in the Archives Office. (2) ( . . . ) where a State record (not being a public State record) ( . . . ) has been in existence as a State record for 25 years, the relevant authority shall, unless exempted in writing by the State Archivist cause the record to be delivered to the State archivist as soon as it is practicable to do so for depositing in the Archives Office. ( . . . ) 15. (1) Where a State record to which this subsection applies is deposited in the Archives Office, that record shall, unless the relevant authority otherwise directs or specifies in writing notified to the State Archivist, be deemed to be subject to a condition prohibiting the State Archivist from making the record available for inspection by members of the public. (2) Subsection (1) applies to the following State records, - (a) a record that has been

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submitted to the State Cabinet for its consideration or is or was proposed by a Minister to be so submitted; (b) an official record of the State Cabinet; (c) a copy of, or of a part of, a record referred to in paragraph (a) or (b); (d) a record that has been submitted to the State Executive Council for its consideration or is proposed by a Minister to be so submitted; (e) an official record of the State Executive Council; (f) a copy of, or a part of, a record referred to in paragraph (d) or (e). (3) Subject to this section, where a relevant authority makes any State record available to the Archives Office, that authority may, by notice in writing given to the State Archivist (a) inform the State Archivist that the record contains information or matter, the disclosure or divulging of which is prohibited by any enactment other than a provision of this Act; or (b) in a case where the record contains information or matter of a kind specified in subsection (4) - impose such conditions as the authority considers to be appropriate (i) prohibiting the State Archivist from making the record available for inspection by members of the public; or (ii) restricting the persons or the class of persons to whom or to which the State Archivist may make the record available for inspection. (4) The kinds of information and matter are specified for the purposes of subsection (3) (b) (a) information or matter the disclosure of which would involve the disclosure of any deliberation of decision of the State Cabinet, not being information or matter contained in a record by which a decision of the State Cabinet was officially published, (b) information or matter the disclosure of which would involve the disclosure of any deliberation or advice of the State Executive Council, other than information or matter contained in a record by which an act of the Governor, acting with the advice of the Executive Council, was officially published; (c) information or matter the disclosure of which would involve the disclosure (i) any opinion, advice, or recommenda-

tion given, obtained, prepared or recorded; or (ii) any consultation or deliberation that has taken place, in the course of, or for the purposes of, bringing into existence a record of a kind to which subsection (1) applies; (d) information or matter communicated in confidence or on behalf of the Government of the Commonwealth or of another country or State or of a Territory of the Commonwealth or a person receiving the communication on behalf of any such Government, the disclosure of which would constitute a breach of that confidence; (e) information or matter the disclosure of which would prejudice relations between this State and the Commonwealth or between this State and another State or a Territory of the Commonwealth; (f) information or matter the disclosure of which would have a substantial adverse effect on the financial or property interests of this State or of a State authority or a local authority; (g) information or matter the disclosure of which would be reasonably likely to have a substantial adverse effect on the interests of this State or of a State authority or a local authority in or in relation to pending or likely legal proceedings; (h) information or matter the disclosure of which would constitute a breach of confidence; (i) information or matter the disclosure of which would (i) prejudice the enforcement or proper administration of the law in a particular case; (ii) prejudice the fair trial of a person or the impartial adjudication of a particular case; (iii) contrary to the public interest, disclose, or enable a person to ascertain, the identity of a confidential source of information in relation to the enforcement or administration of the law; (j) information or matter the disclosure of which would involve the unreasonable disclosure of information relating to the personal affairs of a person, including a deceased person;

AUSTRALIA (k) information or matter, including commercial or financial information, the disclosure of which would be likely to expose unreasonably to disadvantage the material interests of an industrial or trading business or undertaking. (5) Where a person makes available to the Archives Office a record that is not a State record, that person may, by notice in writing given to the State Archivist, impose such conditions as he considers appropriate - (a) prohibiting the State Archivist from making the record available for inspection by members of the public indefinitely or for such period as may be specified in the notice; (b) restricting indefinitely or during such period the persons or class of persons to whom or to which the State Archivist may make the record available for inspection; or (c) stipulating that the record shall not become the property of the Crown in right of Tasmania as provided by section 17. ( . . . ) (7) Where, at the expiration of 25 years from and including the date on which a State record came into existence, the record is a State archive which is subject to a condition by virtue of subsection (1), the record shall cease to be subject to the condition unless, at or before the time when the record was deposited in the Archives Office, a condition was imposed under subsection (3) (b) - (a) prohibiting the record from being made available for inspection by members of the public after the expiration of that period of 25 years; or (b) restricting after that period the persons or class of persons to whom or to which the State Archivist may make the record available for inspection. (8) Where a State record contains information or matter the disclosure or divulging of which is prohibited by an enactment other than a provision of this Act, that enactment shall, unless it expressly provided for the prohibition to extend beyond 25 years after the date on which the record came into existence or purports to over-ride this subsection, cease to have effect at the expiration of that period of 25 years. (9) Where, at the expiration of 25 years from and including the date on which a record came into existence, the record is a State archive which is subject to a condition im-

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posed under subsection (3) (b) or (5) (a) or (b), the record shall cease to be subject to the condition unless the contrary intention was expressed in writing at or before the time at which the record was received for deposit in the Archives Office. (10) Every condition imposed under subsection (3) (b) in respect of a State record shall, notwithstanding anything expressed in the condition to the contrary, cease to have effect after the expiration of 75 years from and including the date on which the record came into existence. 16. [penalties to be imposed on the State Archivist and archive or other government employees if sections 15 (1); (3) (a) or (b); (5) (a) or (b) are contravened], 17. A record that is not a Crown record shall become the property of the Crown in right of Tasmania (a) if the record is a State record - at the expiration of 25 years from and including the date at which the record came into existence or the time at which it is deposited in the Archives Office, whichever is the later; or (b) if the record is not a State record (1) except as provided by subparagraph (ii) - at the time at which the record is deposited in the Archives Office; or (11) where the record is deposited in the Archives Office and is subject to a stipulation or agreement ( . . . ) whereby the record is required to be returned to the person who delivered the record for deposit or to some other person or it is otherwise stipulated or agreed ( . . . ) that the record is not to pass to the Crown - at the time at which the stipulation or agreement ceases to have effect (but only if the record is at that time still deposited in the Archives Office). 18. (1) Subject to this section, the State Archivist shall cause to be made available for public access all State archives that are not subject to conditions by virtue of section 15 (3) (a). (2) Where a State archive is required by subsection (1) to be made available for public access, any member of the public is, subject to this section, entitled to access to the archive in any one or more of the following forms -

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(a) an opportunity to inspect the archive without charge; (b) on payment of a fee determined in accordance with the regulations (i) in the case of an archive which is not a film or video, provision of a copy by way of sale; or (ii) in the case of an archive which is a film or video, provision of a copy by way of sale, hire, lease or any other means determined by the State Archivist; (c) in the case of an archive from which information or matter can be produced or made available in a particular form by means of a computer, projector, or other equipment, provision, on payment of a fee (if any) determined in accordance with the regulations, of access to that information or matter by the use of that equipment; (d) in the case of an archive by which words are recorded in a manner in which they are capable of being reproduced in the form of sound or in which words are contained in the form of sound or in which words are contained in the form of shorthand writing or in codified form, an opportunity to take, in accordance with arrangements prescribed by the State Archivist, a recording or written transcript of the words recorded or contained in the archive. ( . . . ) (3) Where - (a) the giving of access under this section to an archive in a particular form other than the form referred to in subsection (2) (a) would interfere unreasonably with the operation of the Archives Office or of a Government department, a State authority, or a local authority that has custody of the archive; (b) the giving of access under this section to an archive in a particular form would not, having regard to the physical nature of the archive, be appropriate; (c) the giving of access under this section to an archive in a particular form would be detrimental to the preservation of the archive; or (d) the giving of access under this section to an archive in a particular form would involve an infringement of copyright subsisting in the archive, other than copyright owned by the Crown in right of this State, the State Archivist may decide that access to the archive is not to be provided in that form but is to be given in some other form. (4) The State Archivist may, for the pur-

pose of ensuring the safe custody and proper preservation of a State archive - (a) determine reasonable conditions to which access to the archive is to be subject; or (b) determine that the archive is to be withheld from public access. (5) Where an archive is withheld in accordance with subsection (4), the State Archivist shall make a copy of the archive available unless in his opinion it is not practicable to do so without risk to the proper preservation of the archive. (6) Where an archive has become available for public access in accordance with this section, any security classification applicable to the archive ceases to have effect. ( . . . ) 19. (1) The State Archivist shall ensure that all State records received from a State authority or a local authority, or from an officer or employee of a Government department, a State authority, or a local authority, are made available, as reasonably required, for use by or at the direction of, that department or authority or a department or authority that has succeeded to the relevant functions of that department or authority. (2) Where a record that has been in existence for more than 25 years is made available under subsection (1), the record shall not be made available in a manner that involves it leaving the custody of the Archives Office except so far as necessary for the proper conduct of the business of the Government department, State authority, or local authority concerned. 20. (1) Except as provided by this Part, a person shall not (a) destroy or otherwise dispose of, (b) transfer, or be a party to arrangements for the transfer of, the custody of; (c) transfer, or be a party to arrangements for the transfer of, the ownership of; or (d) damage or alter, a State record. Penalty for a contravention of this subsection: 10 penalty units. (2) Subsection (1) does not (a) apply to anything done in accordance with a requirement of any law; (b) apply to anything done by or with the written permission of the State Archivist or in accordance with a practice or procedure approved in writing by the State Archivist; or (c) in relation to records that are

AUSTRALIA not in the custody or possession of the relevant authority, apply to anything done for placing those records in the custody or possession of that authority. ( . . . ) (4) This section does not authorize the State Archivist to cause or permit the destruction or disposal of a State record that is in the possession of, or has been received into the custody of the Archives Office from, the relevant authority or his or its predecessor without the consent of the relevant authority. (5) For the purpose of applying subsection (1) to a record of a kind used by means of any mechanical or electronic device or equipment, including a computer, any treatment or modification of the record which would prevent there being obtained from the record information or matter that could previously have been obtained from the record shall be deemed to be destruction of the record. ( . . . ) 21. (1) Where a State record has been in existence for 25 years or more, a person shall not add to, or otherwise alter, the record without the approval of the State Archivist. Penalty for a contravention of this subsection: 10 penalty units. ( . . . ) 23. (1) The State Archivist may give a certificate that a State archive referred to in the certificate is a true copy of a record that is an archive in his custody. ( . . . ) 24. (1) Where the State Archivist is satisfied that a State archive has been destroyed in accordance with a provision of this Act or of either of the repealed Acts, he may give a certificate to the effect that the State archive has been so destroyed. 28. (1) Where, in the ordinary course of the administration of this Act, access is given to a State archive which is a State record kept in the Archives Office, being an archive required ( . . . ) to be made available for public access - (a) no action for defamation or breach of confidence lies, by reason of authorising or giving that access, against the Crown in right of this State or any person concerned in authorizing or giving that access; (b) the giving of that access shall not be taken, for the purposes of the law of defamation or

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breach of confidence, to constitute an authorization or approval of the publication of the record or of its contents by the person to whom that access was given; and (c) a person concerned in authorising or giving that access is not guilty of any offence by reason only of having authorized or given that access. ( . . . ) 29. (1) The Governor may make regulations for the purposes of this Act. (2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1), regulations under that subsection may be made for or with respect to - (a) providing for the general management and control of the Archives Office; (b) restricting or regulating the admission, or providing for the exclusion, of members of the public of any person or class of persons to or from the Archives Office or any part of the Archives Office; (c) regulating or prohibiting the copying of any State archive; (d) prescribing the conditions subject to which a person may borrow a State Archive; (e) providing for the sale of copies of State archives and any publications published by the State Archivist for the purposes of this Act; (f) prescribing duties of the State Archivist additional to those prescribed by this Act; (g) prescribing the manner in which, the persons by whom, and the places at which, State records or State archives of different classes are required or permitted to be stored, protected, and cared for, or, as the case may be, be destroyed or otherwise disposed of; and (h) prescribing the manner in which, the persons by whom, and the conditions subject to which, records of State authorities and local authorities are required or permitted to be disposed of on the abolition or amalgamation, or the termination of the functions, of State authorities or local authorities or the transfer or amalgamation of offices of branches of such authorities. ( . . . ) (5) Regulations made for the purpose of paragraph (c) of subsection (1) may make provision for charges to be made for copies and publications referred to in that paragraph and confer on the State Archivist a discretion as to the amounts of those charges. 30. (1) The Archives Act 1965 is repealed. (...)

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VICTORIA Public Records Acts 1973-19863 4. Public Records Advisory Council. (1) There shall be a Public Records Advisory Council. (1A) The Council shall consist of not more than ten members appointed by the Minister of whom - (a) one shall be the Secretary, Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism; and (b) the remaining members shall be persons with knowledge of or experience in any of the following areas: (i) Public administration; (ii) Local government; (iii) The management of records; (iv) Librarianship or library management; (v) Historical research; (vi) Genealogical research; (vii) Any areas considered by the Minister to be a relevant area for the purposes of this sub-section ( . . . ) 13A. Inspection of public office or other place. - The Keeper of Public Records may enter, at any reasonable time, a public office or any place in which the public records of that office are stored to inspect the storage

and conservation arrangements of the records in the office or place and the carrying out in that office or place of the programme of records management ( . . . ) . 15A. Compulsory acquisition of public records. - (1) The Minister may, on behalf of the Crown, require a person to deliver to the Keeper of Public Records a public record in the person's possession. (2) The Minister may, if the Minister thinks fit, out of moneys lawfully available for the purpose pay compensation to a person required to deliver a public record to the Keeper. (3) The amount of compensation payable must be the value of the record as assessed by an independent valuer appointed by the Minister. (4) Any dispute as to the amount of compensation may be referred by the Minister or the person required to deliver the public record, to the Magistrate's Court and the decision of the Court shall be final. (5) This section does not affect any rights of compulsory acquisition of public records existing under common law.

3 This is the text of the Victoria Public Records Act 1973 (which was published in ARCHIVUM XXVIII (1982), p. 53-7), as amended by the Public Records (Amendment) Act 1986 and by miscellaneous consequential provisions in other Acts.

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AUSTRIA* AUTRICHE Vgl. Archivum 11 (1961), S. 79-87; 17 (1967), S. 53-58 und 28 (1982), S. 274-278. VORBEMERKUNG Archivgesetzliche Regelungen im engeren Sinn sind in Österreich weder auf Bundes- noch auf Landesebene vorhanden. Das Archivwesen ist einerseits durch entsprechende Verordnungen, andererseits durch eine Reihe gesetzlicher Bestimmungen im Zusammenhang mit anderen Gesetzen geregelt. ARCHIVALIENSCHUTZ Der Archivalienschutz ist bundesweit im Denkmalschutzgesetz in der Fassung von 1978, BGBl. 167/1978 (vgl. Archivum 28, 1982 S. 274-277) verankert und obliegt dem beim Bundeskanzleramt errichteten Archivamt, mit dessen Führung der Generaldirektor des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs betraut ist. Eine unerlaubte Ausfuhr von Archivalien wird durch das Ausfuhrverbotsgesetz in der Fassung von 1985, BGBl. 253/1985 verhindert. VERWALTUNGSSTRUKTUR Österreich besitzt eine dezentralisierte Archivstruktur, in der die Archivverwaltungen des Bundes, der Länder und Gemeinden, der Parteien und Religionsgemeinschaften, der Wirtschaft (soweit vorhanden), politischer, wissenschaftlicher und kultureller Institutionen sowie von Privatpersonen streng voneinander getrennt sind. Für den Bundesbereich liegt die gesetzliche Grundlage nach wie vor in § 10 des Behörden-Überleitungsgesetzes von 1945, StGBl. 94/1945, der auch nach dem Bundesministeriengesetz von 1973, BGBl. 389/1973 seine Gültigkeit behalten hat. AUSBILDUNG Für die Archivare des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs ist die durch das Beamtendienstrechtsgesetz von 1979 (BGBl. 333/1979) vorgeschriebene Ausbildung erforderlich, in allen Abteilungen, wo dies notwendig ist, zusätzlich die erfolgreiche Absolvierung der Staatsprüfung des Instituts für österreichische Geschichtsforschung (vgl. unten BGBl. 627/ 1989), die auch von den meisten Landesarchiven als Anstellungserfordernis verlangt wird. ARCHIVALIENABLIEFERUNG Die Verpflichtung zur Ablieferung von Behördenschriftgut an die Archive ist in der Regel in den Kanzlei- und Skartierungsordnungen des Bundes und der Länder festgehalten.

* L. Auer, Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv, Wien.

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AUSTRIA

ZUGANG Die öffentliche Benützung von Archivgut ist auf Bundes- und Landesebene auf dem Verordnungswege geregelt und sieht im allgemeinen eine Sperrfrist von dreißig Jahren vor, sofern nicht andere schutzwürdige Interessen eine längere Sperre nötig machen. Vor allem sind hier die Bestimmungen des Datenschutzgesetzes von 1978 (BGBl. 565/1978) zu beachten. Für die Einsicht in Personenstandsregister gilt seit dem Personenstandsgesetz von 1983 (BGBl. 60/1983, s. unten) eine Frist von hundert Jahren.

Personenstandsgesetz vom 19. Jänner 1983 (...)

§ 37. (1) Das Recht auf Einsicht in die Personenstandsbücher und die zu diesen gehörigen Sammelakten sowie auf Ausstellung von Personenstandsurkunden und Abschriften steht nur zu 1. Personen, auf die sich die Eintragung bezieht, sowie sonstige Personen, deren Personenstand durch die Eintragung berührt wird; 2. Personen, die ein rechtliches Interesse daran glaubhaft machen, soweit kein überwiegendes schutzwürdiges Interesse der Personen, auf die sich die Eintragung bezieht, entgegensteht; 3. Behörden und Körperschaften des öffentlichen Rechtes im Rahmen der Vollziehung der Gesetze. (...)

§ 39. (1) Die von den gesetzlich anerkannten Kirchen und Religionsgesellschaften im staatlichen Auftrag vor dem 1. August 1938 zur Beurkundung der Eheschließungen und die vor dem 1. Jänner 1939 zur Beurkundung der Geburten und Todesfälle geführten Personenstandsbücher sowie alle von den Verwaltungsbehörden vor dem 1. Jänner 1939 geführten Personenstandsbücher (Altmatriken) sind von den gesetzlich anerkannten Kirchen und Religionsgesellschaften sowie den Verwaltungsbehörden, bei denen sie sich am Tag des Inkrafttretens dieses Bundesgesetzes befinden, aufzubewahren und fortzuführen. (2) Die Aufbewahrung und Fortführung der vor dem 1. August 1938 (1. Jänner 1939) geführten Militär-Matrikel (Heeres-Matriken) obliegt dem Österreichischen Staatsarchiv. (...)

§ 41. (1) Die Abschnitte 1 bis 7, der Dritte iund der Fünfte Teil dieses Bundesgesetzes :sind, soweit in den folgenden Absätzen nicht anderes bestimmt wird, auf die Aufbewahrung, Fortführung und Erneuerung der Altimatriken, die Einsicht in diese, auf die Aus:stellung von Personenstandsurkunden und Abschriften aus den Altmatriken, auf die Fortführung der Zweitbücher und die Mittei1lungspflichten sinngemäß anzuwenden. (...) (4) Einschränkungen des Rechtes auf Einsicht und Ausstellung von Urkunden, die sich aus § 37 ergeben, gelten nach Ablauf einer Frist von hundert Jahren seit der Eintragung als aufgehoben, sofern die Eintragung nicht ieine lebende Person betrifft. (...) (7) Die Ergänzung, Berichtigung und Än