Working Groups
The EAC's working groups are set up to discuss specific issues to inform the development of policy, and to progress the aims and objectives of EAC and its members. The number of working groups in existence at any one time remains flexible to reflect the needs of the membership and available resources.
Each working group creates an action plan to identify the key issues and formulate proposals to address these issues. Each group has a defined timetable to prepare the outputs which have been identified. Once produced, these outputs are taken forward by the EAC Board and the relevant national agencies.
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Members of the EAC Working Groups are drawn from EAC member organisations, and from other relevant bodies and programmes as appropriate. Some are joint initiatives with partner organisations.
Guidance, advice and research produced by the EAC Working Groups can be found on the Guidance page.
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Archaeological archives
Chair: Agnieszka Oniszczuk
The objective of the group is to address key issues in archaeological archiving. Several guidance notes have been published since the establishment of the group in 2009, on topics including best practice, selection and digital archiving.
The group meets regularly online, and the EAC symposium in 2025 explored themes that the group is considering as work topics for the next few years.
Articulating significance of archaeological sites
Chair: Thor Hjaltalin
The objective of the group is to provide guidance on articulation of the significance of heritage assets to ensure that the values of each site are clearly articulated. This will assist in clear decision-making when change management is required.
The group launched a 'key concepts' document in 2025, and is currently finalising a longer document which will provide case studies and ideas on the topic of archaeological significance.
Remote sensing for archaeology AARG/EAC/ISAP working party
Chairs: Chris Gaffney & Rachel Opitz
The working party is concerned with the promotion of techniques and development of best practice in remote sensing archaeology, with a particular focus on heritage management.
The working party meets regularly and completed new guidance on the use of Lidar in 2025. It is currently considering future initiatives.
EAA and EAC joint working group on farming, forestry and rural land management
Chair: Karl Cordemans
The purpose of the group is to improve understanding and management of the impacts on the historic environment of farming, forestry and those forms of rural land management which lie beyond the remit of the spatial planning systems of European member countries.
The working party performs an observatory function and reports annually to the EAC General Assembly.
Communications
Chair: Vera Ameels
The working group was established in 2020. Its purpose is to promote the activities of EAC and ensure that the EAC communicates effectively with its members and the public.
The group meets regularly to develop EAC communications and reports to the EAC Board.
Public benefit of development-led archaeology
Chair: Barney Sloane
The objective of the group is to provide a toolkit for archaeological heritage managers to help them articulate the wide range of benefits and enormous public value arising from a system of development-led archaeology (whether public or privately funded), and to demonstrate the potential of proportionality and transparency.
The group completed its guidance on the topic in 2024.
National research frameworks
Chairs: Inge van der Jagt & Dan Miles
The objective of the group is to develop simple guidance to: introduce the concept of research frameworks; show current examples and case studies; provide information on the different ways to create research frameworks, and describe the benefits and how these frameworks can be used.
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The group completed a guidance note in 2024 and issued new web guidance to support members in the development of research frameworks in 2025.