March 1999
[Eng./Fr.]

NATO Archives
Public Disclosure Policy

Policy Statement :

It is the policy of NATO to disclose to the public NATO documents of historical significance that are:
  1. Thirty years old or older; and

  2. declassified in accordance with the document entitled "Security Within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization" referred to as Document C-M(55)15(Final), or not classified and marked "NATO UNCLASSIFIED", except those documents containing:

    1. information that could affect the privacy of an individual including, without restricting the generality of the foregoing, any such information relating to personnel, disciplinary, medical and other matters, until 100 years from the date of birth of the person to whom the information relates;

    2. confidential commercial information unless the party concerned consents to its disclosure; or

  3. less than 30 years old but that have been the subject of an ad hoc request for declassification and public disclosure with regard to which the North Atlantic Council has expressed its conviction that it would be in the best interests of NATO to respond favourably.

Explanation of the terms utilised for the purpose of this policy

"NATO documents of historical significance" means documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics, made or received by NATO in connection with transactions of business and preserved as evidence of the organisation, functions, policies, operations, decisions, procedures or other activities of NATO, or because of the informational value of the data contained.

"Access" means permission to members of the general public to view, copy and use NATO documents of historical significance for research purposes.

"Availability" means the authorised disclosure to the International Staff's Archives Service of NATO documents of historical significance, after declassification, as appropriate, and review, for placement in that service for access to the general public in accordance with terms and conditions established by the NATO Secretary General.

"Competent authority" means the originating member state, office, successor organisation or higher authority and, as appropriate, other interested member states or NATO commands or agencies.

"NATO documents" means all documents issued by:

  1. the North Atlantic Council/Defence Planning Committee and its various committees and other subordinate groups (including revised versions, addenda & corrigenda), as identified in their respective series and bearing the references: D/-, WP/-, R/-, DS/-, VR/-, N/- and A/-;

  2. the Private Office of the Secretary General, in the PO/- series;

  3. the Executive Secretary in the RDC/-, KWA/- and EXS/- series;

  4. the Military Committee in the MC/-, MCM/- and MRC/- series; and

  5. the former Standing Group in the SG/- series.