Arkivbestemmelser

Arkivbestemmelser are the internal rules and procedures that determine how an organization creates, manages, preserves, and disposes of its records. They apply to all records generated or received in the course of activities, in both paper and digital formats, and set out how information is documented, stored, and made accessible. The aim is to ensure accountability, legal compliance, operational efficiency, and long-term preservation.

A typical arkivbestemmelse covers several areas:

- Retention and disposal: bevaringsfrister, appraisal, and disposition decisions.

- Organization and metadata: classification schemes, file naming, archive descriptions, and metadata standards.

- Access and confidentiality: who may view records, privacy considerations, and public access rules.

- Digital preservation: format standards, migrations, backups, and integrity checks.

- Physical safeguards: storage conditions, security, and disaster recovery.

- Roles and responsibilities: arkivansvarlig (archival officer), saksbehandlere, and procedures for handling records.

- Transfer and devolution: criteria for transferring records to national or regional archives.

Legal and standards context: Arkivbestemmelser are developed in alignment with national legislation such as the Arkivloven (Archive Act) and with standards for electronic records management, notably NOARK. The Norwegian National Archives (Riksarkivet) and Arkivverket provide guidance, templates, and oversight to public authorities and, in many cases, to private sector organizations to support best practices for records management.