Public Administration Archive Management

According to the new Law Law 4610/2019 of the General State Archives (GSA) (see Article 171, para. 4), the Department for the Supervision of Active and Semi-Active Archives, Selection, Accession and Disposal of Inactive Archives of the Directorate of Acquisition and Processing of Archives is responsible for:

identifying, collecting and recording archives
monitoring the disposal of inactive archives
supervising the implementation of archival policy
cooperating with liaison officers appointed by the competent services
selecting archives scheduled for disposal by public services and ensuring the transfer to the GSA of those selected for permanent preservation
developing archival education and training programmes for employees of the wider public sector
providing guidance to public, private and special historical archives and collections
providing guidance to the regional services of the GSA
handling any other related matters

Within the framework of the institutional cooperation of the GSA with public administration bodies, in 2018 close cooperation began with the Archives Department of the Ministry of Administrative Reconstruction (Presidential Decree 133/2017 “Organization of the Ministry of Administrative Reconstruction”, Government Gazette 161/A’/30.10.2017), in order to ensure supervision by the legally competent service of the GSA.

Important announcement to public sector and wider public sector organizations

During the current period of the coronavirus pandemic, the GSA, following the relevant legislative provisions, the recommendations of experts, and prioritizing the safety of both citizens and employees, are reorganizing part of their activities regarding records management.

Entities

Public Services (Central & Regional)
Regions
Public Law Legal Entities
Local Government Authorities

Public Services (Central & Regional)
The regions
The N.P.D.D.
The OTAs

Time of the clearances

During the first quarter of each year, the process is carried out in order to prevent the accumulation and deterioration of archival material.

in the first quarter of each year (this avoids accumulation and damage of archival material)

Legislation for selecting and clearing files

Legislation

Law 4610/2019 Synergies between Universities and Technological Educational Institutes (TEIs), access to higher education, experimental schools, the General State Archives and other provisions
Presidential Decree 162/1979 , On the disposal of archives of Public Services
Presidential Decree 768/1980 , On the disposal of archives of Public Law Legal Entities (NPDD)
Presidential Decree 87/1981 , On the disposal of archives of Public Services and Public Law Legal Entities (NPDD)
Presidential Decree 480/1985 , Disposal of archives of Local Government Authorities (OTA) and their institutions, public law entities and associations
Presidential Decree 25/2014 , Electronic records and digitization of documents

Law 4610/2019 University and TEI synergies, access to higher education, experimental schools, general state archives and other provisions
PD 162/1979, on the clearing of the records of the public services
PD 768/1980, on the liquidation of the records of the NPDDs
PD 87/1981, on the clearing of the records of public services & NPDD
PD 480/1985, liquidation of the records of local authorities and institutions, NPDDs and their links
PD 25/2014, electronic archive and digitization of documents

Registration legislation (by entity)

Special Legislation by Ministry and Authority

Presidential Decree 320/1979, On the disposal of archives of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of the Interior
Presidential Decree 106/1979, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of the Presidency of the Government
Presidential Decree 899/1980, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs and of the School Funds
Presidential Decree 835/1979, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Merchant Marine
Presidential Decree 456/1991, Replacement of Article 3 of Presidential Decree 835/1979
Royal Decree 541/1962, On the division and subdivision of the archives of the services of the Ministry of Merchant Marine
Presidential Decree 552/1979, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Justice
Royal Decree 120/1966, On the method of destruction of obsolete archives of judicial services
Royal Decree 573/1965, On the method of destruction of archives of Mortgage Registries and Civil Registry Offices
Presidential Decree 423/1979, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Public Order
Presidential Decree 245/1997, Disposal of archives of services of the Hellenic Police
Presidential Decree 180/1999, Amendment of Presidential Decree 245/1997
Presidential Decree 11/1981, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Social Services
Presidential Decree 77/1977, On the simplification of the procedure for the disposal of archives
Royal Decree 172/1973, On the archives of the services of the Ministry of Social Services
Presidential Decree 1258/1981, Disposal of archives of hospitals and social welfare institutions
Presidential Decree 365/1981, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Agriculture
Presidential Decree 430/1979, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Transport and Communications
Presidential Decree 381/1991, Amendment of Presidential Decree 430/1979
Presidential Decree 176/2007, Supplement to Presidential Decree 430/1979
Presidential Decree 2/1980, On the disposal of archives of the Postal Savings Bank
Presidential Decree 722/1979, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Commerce
Presidential Decree 358/1979, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Labour
Presidential Decree 185/2006, Supplement to Presidential Decree 358/1979
Presidential Decree 469/1983, Disposal of archives of OAED (Manpower Employment Organization)
Presidential Decree 128/1986, Disposal of archives of social insurance organizations
Presidential Decree 276/2000, Disposal of archives of the Ministry of Finance
Presidential Decree 57/1980, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Finance
Ministerial Decision 1086260/1023/0006 B/POL 1176/03.09.1992, Disposal of archives of Tax Offices (DOY) and KE.P.Y.O.
Presidential Decree 486/1979, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Coordination
Presidential Decree 225/1980, On the disposal of archives of the Ministry of Culture
Presidential Decree 229/1993, Management and disposal of archives of the Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works
Presidential Decree 82/2014, Disposal of archives of the “Greek Ombudsman”

PD 320/1979, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of the Interior
PD 106/1979, on the clearing of the records of the Ministry of the Presidency of the Government
PD 899/1980, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs and the School Funds
PD 835/1979, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Merchant Shipping
PD 456/1991, replacement of article 3 of the p.d. 835/1979 “On the liquidation of the files of the Central & of the Regional Services of the Ministry of Merchant Shipping”
BD 541/1962, on the division and subdivision of the Archive of the Central and Regional Services of the Y.E.N. and for the periodic clearance of
PD 552/1979, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Justice
NW 120/1966, on how to destroy the useless files of the judicial services
BD 573/1965, on the method of destruction or sale of useless records of salaried mortgage offices and registries
PD 423/1979, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Public Order
PD 245/1997, Clearing of Greek Police Services Records
PD 180/1999, amendment of the p.d. 245/1997 “Cleaning of files of the Greek Police Services”
PD 11/1981, on the clearing of the records of the services of the Ministry of Social Services
PD 77/1977, on the simplification of the process of clearing the files of central and regional services of the Ministry of Social Services
NW 172/1973, on the archives of the central and regional services of the Ministry of Social Services
PD 1258/1981, on the liquidation of the records of the nursing institutions, the social welfare institutions and the training schools of the nursing staff (N.P.D.D.), the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Services
PD 365/1981, on the clearing of the records of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Agriculture
PD 430/1979, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Transport
PD 381/1991, amendment and completion of the P.D. 430/1979 “On the liquidation of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Transport”
PD 176/2007, amendment and completion of the P.D. 430/1979 “On the liquidation of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Transport”
PD 2/1980, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Postal Savings Bank
PD 722/1979, on the clearing of the records of the central, regional and foreign services of the Ministry of Commerce
PD 358/1979, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Labor
PD 185/2006, completion of Presidential Decree 358/1979 “On the liquidation of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Labor”
PD 469/1983, liquidation of the records of the Central and Regional Services of the Labor Force Employment Agency (OAED)
PD 128/1986, liquidation of the records of the insurance organizations (N.P.D.D.) except O.G.A., under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Social Insurance of the General Secretariat of Social Insurance
PD 276/2000, clearing of the archives of the Ministry of Finance’s services
PD 57/1980, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Finance
YA 1086260/1023/0006 B/POL 1176/03.09.1992, liquidation of the files of the public financial services and the KE.P.Y.O.
PD 486/1979, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Coordination
PD 225/1980, on the clearing of the files of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Culture and Sciences
PD 229/1993, Maintenance and liquidation of the records of the Central and Regional Services of the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Public Works (YPHODE) except for the General Secretariat of Public Works
PD 82/2014, Clearing files of the Independent Authority “Citizen Advocate”

Circulars of the Ministry of Interior and Administrative Reconstruction

Circulars

DIADP/G2g/22391/23.10.2001 (see also Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization, Regulation on Communication between Public Services, Athens 2003)
DIADP/F.B.6/18460/15.09.2011 (ADA: 4A8KX-BYR) , “Measures for the safeguarding of archives of the Public Sector, Local Government Authorities (OTA) and entities of the wider public sector”
DIADIPYD/TSPEAD/F.3/36705/25.11.2015 (ADA: 6THO465FTH-R02) , “Disposal of archives of the public sector – Transfer of the archival material of the primary committees for the rehabilitation of civil servants persecuted by the dictatorship to the General State Archives”
DIDDA/TA/F.1/26399/12.11.2017 (ADA: 60XS465XTHPS-MF4) , “Safeguarding of archives of healthcare institutions”

DIADP/C2C/22391/23.10.2001 (see also the Ministry of the Interior of Public Administration and Decentralization, Public Service Communication Regulation, Athens 2003)
DIADP/F.B.6/18460/15.09.2011 (AD: 4A8KX-BYR), “Taking measures to safeguard the public records of the public sectors of local authorities and the bodies of the wider public sector”
DIADIPYD/TSPEAD/F.3/oc. 36705/25.11.2015 (AD: 6thol465fthe-P02), “Cleanization of the archives of the public sector – the archival material of the primary committees for the rehabilitation of the politically expelled civil servants from the dictatorship in the general archives of the state”
IDDA/TA/F.1/26399/12.11.2017 (AD: 60XS465XΨΨ–ΦΦ4), “Safe Records of Nursing Institutions”

Abolition of organizations and bodies of the public body (Law and Interpretive Circular)

Abolitions and Mergers of Public Sector Bodies

Law 3895/2010 “Abolition and merger of services, organizations and bodies of the public sector” (Government Gazette 206/A’/08.12.2010)
Circular of the Ministry of the Interior, Decentralization and E-Government on the subject: “Abolition and merger of services, organizations and bodies of the public sector” (Law 3895/2010, Government Gazette 206/A’), (Ref. No.: DOA/F.10/26915/22.12.2010, ADA: 4II6K–6)
Law 4250/2014 (Government Gazette 74/A’/26.03.2014) refers to abolitions and mergers of Legal Entities and Services of the Public Sector
Government Gazette 606/B’/05.03.2012 Decision on the abolition of the Public Material Management Organization (ODDY S.A.)

Law 3895/2010 “Abolition and merger of services, organizations and bodies of the public sector” (Government Gazette 206/Α΄/08.12.2010)
Circular of the Ministry of the Interior, Decentralization and Electronic Government on the subject: “Abolition and merger of services, organizations and bodies of the public sector” (Law 3895/2010, Official Gazette 206/A’), (Prot. No.: DOA/F.10/26915/22.12.2010, ADA: 4III6k – 6)
Law 4250/2014 (Government Gazette 74/Α΄/26.03.2014) reference is made to abolitions, mergers of legal entities and services of the public sector
Official Gazette 606/Β΄/05.03.2012 Decision to abolish the Public Material Management Organization (O.D.Y.Y.) S.A.

School Archives

School Archives – Circulars and Legal Opinions

Circular of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs on the subject: “School Archives” (Ref. No.: 52652/IZ/83/F.DIOIK/02.08.2007)
Circular of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs on the subject: “School Archives” (Ref. No.: 130752/IZ/146/F.DIOIK/10.10.2008)
Legal Opinion of the Legal Council of the State on the subject: “Transmission of Legal Council of the State Opinion No. 489/2012” (Ref. No.: 53171/G3/46/F.DIOIK/01.04.2015)

Circular of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs on the subject: “School Archives” (No. Prot.: 52652/IZ/83/F.Admin/02.08.2007)
Circular of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs on the subject: “School Archives” (No. Prot.: 130752/IZ/146/F.Administration/10.10.2008),
Opinion of the Legal Council of the State on the subject: “Transmission of no. 489/2012 of the opinion of the Legal Council of the State (No. Prot.: 53171/Γ3/46/F.Admin/01.04.2015).

Selection and clearing of public services records

The Process of Records Disposal and Selection

Process Stages

Identification of records
Invitation of the GSA
On-site inspection
Selection & disposal of archival material
Record delivery – receipt protocol
Authorization for destruction of archival material

Categories of Records

Records of permanent administrative value
Inactive
Semi-active
Active

The process on the part of the GHCs
The main stages of the process of clearing and selecting a public file in the GIS are as follows:
1. Highlighting files
2. Invite the GAS
3. autopsy
4. Selection & Clearing the archival material
5. File Delivery – Receiving Protocol
6. Permit to destroy archival material

The file categories are as follows:

perpetual service utility
inactive
semiactive
actively

Clearing the files

The Process from the Perspective of Public Services

The disposal of records constitutes one of the most important aspects of records management in Public Services.

The rational organization and management of public records contributes to:

More effective and efficient functioning of the Administration
Faster service to citizens
Facilitating the work of employees through the easy retrieval of requested documents
Ensuring protection against alteration or destruction of useful or confidential documents
Saving storage space
Better utilization of personnel

The public service process
The clearing of the files is one of the most important parameters of the management of the archives of public services.
The rational organization and management of public records contributes:

In the most efficient and efficient operation of the administration
In the fastest service to the citizens
To facilitate the work of employees by easily identifying the requested documents
in ensuring from alterations or destruction of useful or confidential documents
in saving spaces
In better use of staff

Highlights of the files

Identification and Survey of Records

The Directorate of Acquisition and Processing of Archives has as one of its operational objectives the identification and survey of the records of public sector services and the supervision of active records in order to prevent losses and destruction of public documents.

Identification of records refers to the research process through which basic information is collected about records that have not yet been transferred. This information concerns their quantity, format, type, location, physical condition, preservation and storage conditions, accumulation and use of records.

The purpose of this process is to plan the archival operations related to the management of the identified records, such as acquisition, disposal, microfilming and the provision of storage facilities.

The identification and location of records does not imply acquisition nor does it commit the producing body to transfer them to the GSA. However, it provides the possibility for the supervision of records produced by the public administration.

Effective Methods for the Identification of Records

Appointment of liaison officers in accordance with Law 4610/2019. Liaison officers form a network of public administration employees that supports direct and two-way communication between the GSA and the public bodies producing records, contributing to the proper maintenance and supervision of records.
Distribution of questionnaires to public bodies in order to ensure better supervision of records and prevent unjustified destruction. The collection of this information enables not only the identification of specific archival holdings but also the overall mapping of public sector records.

The File Acquisition and Editing address has a business objective, among other things, Labeling and inventory of public sector services records and the Supervision of active records to prevent losses and disasters of public documents.
File labeling is the investigation that compiled the basic information on records not yet delivered concerning the quantity, form, type, location, physical condition, storage and storage conditions, accumulation, the use of evidence as well as other relevant items in order to design the archival work concerning the management of the highlighted files (e.g. acquisition, clearing, microphotographs, securing storage areas).
Marking and locating the files does not mean acquisition or commitment of the organization to grant them to the GAS, but it gives the possibility of supervision of the files produced by the public administration.
Effective methods To highlight files are:
1) The definition of liaison officials, which is provided for in the context of the exercise of the responsibilities of the GAS and concerns the labeling and inventory of public archives (Law 4610/2019). The employees-links constitute a network consisting of employees of the Administration and whose task is to support the direct and two-way communication between the National Archives Management Agency, i.e. the GAS, and the public file production bodies, thus contributing to the modern and functional maintenance of the records of public services through a system of supervision and control of public archival production
2) The sending of a questionnaire to the public bodies for better supervision of their files and the avoidance of thoughtless disasters. The collection of information about the file must be further processed, because in addition to identifying specific archival sets, it allows the overall mapping of public sector files.