This plan presents the strategies for the EAA. This is intended to be a dynamic document and has a four-year perspective.

The plan is a result of a process of discussion which started with a joint meeting of the Executive and Editorial Boards in Budapest in February 2002. At the Thessaloniki Conference in 2002 a Round Table was held to discuss the future of the EAA. During the discussion several challenges were identified. 
The Round Table results were presented to the members at the ABM. During the last year all members were invited to take part in the work to finalise the plan through the EAA web site and newsletter (TEA). 

The final document was put forward to the ABM in St. Petersburg 2003 (see below) and adopted by the membership. 
 

Principles

Principles such as sustainable development, whereby different sectors having responsibility for the environment and cultural heritage, the 'polluter pays' principle, prevention and participatory democracy, are all important for the protection of the archaeological heritage. It is a challenge to strengthen consciousness of the meaning and significance of cultural heritage in both a European and a local perspective.

The world is constantly changing. This has an impact on archaeological heritage. Some important trends in this perspective are: 

• Globalisation
• Unified Europe
• Democratic control of cultural heritage management
• Privatisation where private companies are taking over tasks and authority from the state
• Urbanisation and mobility changes the exploitation of resources and area
• Technological developments in communication

EAA has to meet such challenges: 

• By expanding  the organization the EAA will serve professional needs
• Through increased knowledge and friendship the EAA can develop unique possibilities for co-operation 
• By stimulating the work of archaeologists and by contributing to a diverse and peaceful Europe.

Key roles

EAA has several important roles, such as:

• Consultative status for the Council of Europe and cooperation with other organizations with similar aims
• Influencing the EU policies on archaeology
• The development of archaeological research and the exchange of archaeological information 
• Encouraging the management and interpretation of the European archaeological heritage
• Promoting the training and education of archaeologists and students
• Promoting the setting of proper ethical and scientific standards for archaeological work 
• Monitoring the situation for professional archaeologists.

Vision

By 2010:

• The Malta convention to be implemented in all European countries
• Most professional archaeologists in Europe to be members of the EAA 

Goals

• The EAA shall work actively to influence and develop relations with the Council of Europe, the EU and other major European organizations
• The EAA shall create and support arenas for relations between:
• different regions in Europe
• between theory and practice and 
• between different disciplines and professions of archaeology 
• The EAA shall promote access to high quality life-long training and education for all students and professionals
• The EAA shall host interesting and attractive conferences 
• EAA shall make the Journal, Newsletter and website appealing to members 
• The EAA shall be a stable and dynamic organization with an expanding membership

Strategies

• Influence political developments in cultural heritage, research and teaching in Europe
• Establish a strategy for non-professionals in order to change attitudes from exclusion to inclusion
• To be an umbrella for EU-financed projects
• Provide meeting places, build bridges and create networks
• Secure a broad representation of archaeologists within the membership
• Secure the financial situation of the EAA
• Provide a permanent and professional secretariat
• Make the EAA fun
• Arrange more round tables and workshops in order to promote more active discussions
• Focus on new knowledge and promote the dissemination of results from relevant and interesting research
• More discussion in the Journal
• Improve the multilingual abilities of the members
• Provide active working parties

Activities

• Focus on new knowledge and disseminate results from relevant and interesting research
• Further develop the website, journal and newsletter
• Excavations as educational laboratories
• Recruitment campaigns directed at students, classical archaeologists,  museum archaeologists and to attract members from less-represented countries
• Obtain funding to support diversity in languages at conferences and in written material
• Promote gender diversity at conferences
• Promote a complete student session - organized and run by the students

For more information or comments, please contact Margaret Gowen, EAA Vice-President