On 8 August 1977, before Spain applies for accession to the European Economic Community (EEC), the French weekly magazine L'Express analyses the economic situation in the country and reports on concerns in France and Italy about the Spanish application.

On 31 August 1977, a press release published by the Élysée sets out France’s position regarding Spain’s application for accession to the European Communities.

On 20 September 1977, during the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community (EEC), Jean Taittinger, French Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, conveys his Government's concerns over Spain's application for accession to the European Communities.

On 14 November 1978, on the eve of the opening of negotiations for Portugal’s accession to the European Communities, the British daily newspaper The Guardian reviews Portugal’s economic situation.

In December 1983, the French monthly newspaper Le Monde diplomatique analyses the consequences for French industry of Spain’s accession to the European Communities.

On 21 December 1979, in a long interview given to the daily newspaper La Libre Belgique, the Spanish Foreign Minister, Marcelino Oreja, defends Spain's European and Western vocation.

On 26 June 1982, British daily newspaper The Guardian reports on France’s hesitations over the question of Spanish accession to the European Communities.

On 31 July 1982, Charles Haughey, Irish Prime Minister, writes a letter to Gaston Thorn, President of the European Commission, in which he emphasises the significance of a close analysis of the financial and economic impact of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities.

On 2 August 1982, Wilfried Martens, the Belgian Prime Minister, informs Gaston Thorn, President of the European Commission, of Belgium’s political support for the enlargement process, despite the institutional and budgetary implications thereof.

On 5 August 1982, the British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, outlines to Gaston Thorn, President of the European Commission, the United Kingdom’s views on the enlargement of the European Communities to include Spain and Portugal.

On 10 August 1982, the French President, François Mitterrand, outlines to Gaston Thorn, President of the European Commission, France’s opinion on the enlargement of the European Communities to include Spain and Portugal.

On 17 September 1982, the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany informs Gaston Thorn, President of the European Commission, of the problems raised for the European Communities by the accession of Spain and Portugal.

On 25 September 1982, Giovanni Spadolini, President of the Italian Council, forwards a list of problems to Gaston Thorn, President of the European Commission, which must be resolved before the conclusion of negotiations concerning the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities.

‘Please wait …’ On 25 February 1984, German cartoonist Walter Hanel paints an ironic picture of the slow pace of the process for accession to the European Communities of Spain and Portugal, and illustrates the reservations of France, the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the United Kingdom concerning the forthcoming enlargement. From left to right: Felipe González, Spanish Prime Minister, wearing rags and carrying a basket of fruit and vegetables, sits in driving rain with his Portuguese counterpart, the two waiting to be granted access to the ‘House of Europe’, an austere, run-down building that looks to be falling into ruins. French President François Mitterrand, standing at the entrance, indicates to the two candidates that they must wait, but the wait seems to be going on forever. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and his Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher observe the scene discreetly, hidden behind a pillar, while Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister, follows events from the top of a tower adorned with the Union Jack.

On 30 March 1985, the French Communist daily newspaper L’Humanité harshly criticises the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Economic Community (EEC).

On 14 June 1985, the French daily newspaper Le Monde examines the hopes and fears of Portugal on the issue of its accession to the European Economic Community (EEC).

‘No comment’. In October 1985, in the light of the forthcoming accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities, cartoonist Hans Geisen raises the thorny question of imports of Mediterranean agricultural produce to the Communities.

On 5 December 1985, the French daily newspaper Le Monde comments on the agreement reached by the Ten two days earlier in Dublin on the reform of the common organisation of the market in wine undertaken so as to facilitate the enlargement of the European Communities to include Spain and Portugal.

In this interview, Catherine Lalumière, former French Junior Minister for European Affairs, describes the stance taken by France and the implications of the final phase, from 1984 to 1985, of the negotiations for the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities.

In this interview, Catherine Lalumière, former French Junior Minister for European Affairs, describes the reservations, particularly among French farmers and politicians, caused in 1984 and 1985 by the prospect of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities.

In this interview, Catherine Lalumière, former French Junior Minister for European Affairs, describes the stance taken by the Ten on the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities and places particular emphasis on the role played by Giulio Andreotti, Italian Foreign Minister and President-in-Office of the Council of the European Communities, during the final phase of negotiations in the first half of 1985.

In this interview, Jean François-Poncet, former Secretary-General of the Presidency of the French Republic and former French Foreign Minister, discusses the issues surrounding the possible accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities and the importance of agricultural issues in this matter.

On 26 July 1977, in the context of negotiations for the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities, France submits a memorandum to the European Commission, calling for an urgent revision of Community regulations concerning Mediterranean agricultural products.

On 30 July 1977, commenting on Spain’s application for accession to the European Communities, the French Communist daily newspaper L’Humanité reports on the threats that a possible enlargement of the EEC would represent for French agriculture.

On 13 September 1978, the French daily newspaper Le Monde gives a description of Spanish agriculture and outlines the fears of French farmers at Spain’s accession to the European Common Market.

On 17 November 1982, the European Parliament adopts a resolution on the impact of the accession of Spain and Portugal on the agricultural policy of the Ten.

‘Come in!’ In February 1985, with a view to the forthcoming accession of Portugal and Spain to the European Communities, the German cartoonist, Horst Haitzinger, illustrates the impact of enlargement on agriculture.

In March 1985, the French monthly magazine Le Monde Diplomatique discusses the situation of Spanish agriculture on the eve of that country's accession to the European Economic Community (EEC).

On 12 June 1985, the French daily newspaper Le Monde examines the position of Spain’s agricultural community towards the issue of Spain’s membership of the European Economic Community (EEC).

According to a report published in the Spanish daily newspaper El País on 16 July 1985, Frans Andriessen, Vice-President of the European Commission with special responsibility for agriculture and fisheries, warns of potential difficulties ahead when the terms for Spanish accession to the European Communities are applied.

In this interview, Helmut von Verschuer describes how the negotiations for accession to the European Communities with Spain differed from those with Portugal.

Table showing the change in the agricultural area covered by orange groves, vineyards, olive groves, apple orchards and pear plantations in Mediterranean countries between 1983 and 1988.

Table showing the total amount of agricultural products imported by the Community from Greece, Spain and Portugal from 1975 to 1976.

Table showing changes in the working farm population in the European Community from 1973 to 1985.

Table showing the development of the agricultural labour force in thousands of people, and in the number of people per 100ha of usable agricultural area, in the countries of the European Community during the 1980s.

Table showing the development of immigration in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg between 1957 and 1988.

Table showing the development of unemployment in the countries of Community Europe between 1983 and 1993.

In 1978, in a communication to the Council, the Commission of the European Communities presents the main principles of its action programme for the introduction of differentiated transitional periods enabling Greece, Portugal and Spain to adapt to the European acquis communautaire.

On 18 October 1978, reporting on the negotiations for Portuguese accession to the European Communities, the Lisbon daily newspaper Diário de Notícias discusses the problems of the transitional period in respect of agricultural issues and relating to the free movement of workers, services and capital.

On 22 March 1984, the Madrid daily newspaper El País analyses Spain's position in the negotiations relating to the entry of its agricultural products to the European Common Market.

On 14 March 1985, the European Parliament adopts a resolution on the problems caused by the fisheries policy during the negotiations for the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities.

On 29 March 1985, a political agreement is reached between the ten-strong Community and the two candidate countries, Spain and Portugal, concerning the main issues under discussion: agriculture, fishing, social affairs, own resources, and the government of the Canary Islands.

On 30 March 1985, the day after political agreement was reached between the Community of Ten and the two acceding countries, Spain and Portugal, the French Communist daily newspaper L’Humanité gives a mixed report of the accession negotiations.

On 13 June 1985, the French newspaper Le Monde examines reactions within the Spanish industrial sector to this country's accession to the European Economic Community (EEC).

Table showing the calendar for the accession of Spain to the European Communities as well as the main provisions of the transitional period from 1 January 1987 to 1 January 1996.

On 9 July 1985, addressing the National Assembly in Lisbon, Ernâni Rodrigues Lopes, Portuguese Finance Minister, outlines the scope of the temporary derogations granted to Portugal as part of the terms for its accession to the European Communities.

In December 1985, in connection with the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Economic Community, the French periodical La pêche maritime analyses the repercussions of extending fisheries policies to a wider Europe.