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.

Poster painted by artist Manuel Hernández Mompó to mark Spain’s signing of the Treaty of Accession to the European Communities on 12 June 1985.

In 1986, on the occasion of Spain's accession to the European Communities, the European Commission publishes posters to raise public awareness.

On 1 January 1986, the effective date of Spain and Portugal's accession to the European Communities, the Spanish and Portuguese flags are hoisted for the first time in front of the seat of the European institutions in Brussels.

On 1 January 1986, following the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities, a ceremony is held at the Berlaymont, seat of the Commission of the European Communities in Brussels, for the raising of their respective flags.

On 2 January 1986, in its first edition of the year, the Spanish daily newspaper El País welcomes Spain’s accession to the European Communities.

In its 2 January 1986 edition, the Spanish daily newspaper El País publishes an article on the appointments to the various Community bodies of which Spain is now a member following its accession the previous day.

At a press conference, Jacques Delors, President of the Commission of the European Communities, officially presents the new Members of the Commission who were appointed on 5 January 1986: Manuel Marín González, Vice-President for Social Affairs and Employment, Education and Training, Abel Matutes y Juan, responsible for Credit, Investment and Financial Engineering and Policy for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, and António Cardoso e Cunha, responsible for Fisheries Policy. Manuel Marín González particularly discusses the priorities of the European Social Fund, while Abel Matutes y Juan focuses his speech on policies to support small and medium-sized enterprises within the Community.

Article published in the Spanish daily newspaper El País on 2 January 1986, following Spain’s accession to the European Communities, on the new organisation of the Spanish Embassy to the European Economic Community.

On 14 January 1986, Pierre Pflimlin, President of the European Parliament, welcomes Spain, in the presence of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía, as a new member of the European Communities.

This photo, taken on 14 January 1986 in Strasbourg, shows the first two Spanish Members of the European Commission, Manuel Marín and Abel Matutes, on either side of the President of the European Parliament, Pierre Pflimlin, at the first plenary session of the Parliament after the enlargement of the Community to encompass 12 Member States.

Selection published in Euronoticias of the most significant points of the analysis carried out by the Spanish Confederation of Employers' Organisations (CEOE) on the first nine months of Spain's presence in the European institutions.

Assessment by the Spanish State Secretary for the European Communities in 1987 of Spain’s first year as a Member State of the Communities, emphasising the functional, political, economic and social aspects of the accession process.

On 10 June 1987, the Spanish people participate, for the first time, in the election of the European Parliament by direct universal suffrage. This photo shows citizens of the Community in Madrid exercising their right to vote.

Assessment by the Spanish State Secretary for the European Communities in 1988 of Spain’s second year as a Member State of the Communities, emphasising the functional, political, economic and social aspects of the accession process.

On 4 March 1988, in Caya, Badajoz, Manuel Marín, Abel Matutes and António Cardoso e Cunha, Members of the European Commission, take part in a symbolic ceremony to mark the abolition of customs checks at the border between Spain and Portugal.

On 31 December 1988, at midnight, the Spanish people celebrate the New Year and the beginning of the first Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Communities, on 1 January 1989, to the 12 chimes of the Puerta del Sol clock in Madrid.

In this interview, Manuel Marín, European Commissioner from 1986 to 1999, outlines the major challenges surrounding Spain’s accession to the European Communities and the success of the first Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Communities in 1989. The aim of this first Presidency was to emphasise the Europeanist sentiment which made an active contribution to the integration process. Manuel Marín also gives his views on the sacrifices required of Spain for its industrial reconversion and the social cost of these reforms. He finally mentions the team which accompanied him in his new role as European Commissioner.

In June 1989, French cartoonist Plantu illustrates the progress made at the Madrid European Council with regard to monetary union, despite the disagreement of the United Kingdom.

On 15 June 1989, commenting on the end of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Communities, Pedro Solbes, Spanish Minister for Relations with the European Communities, notes the positive outcome of Spain's three and a half years of membership of the European Communities.

Press conference held at the Congress and Exhibition Centre in Madrid by Felipe González, Spanish Prime Minister, and Jacques Delors, President of the European Commission, at the end of the European Council meeting which closed the first Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Communities.

On 16 September 1991, in Strasbourg, at the third conference on parliamentary democracy held from 16 to 18 September 1991, Enrique Barón Crespo, President of the European Parliament, discusses the threats facing new and consolidated democracies, mentioning the democracies of Central and Eastern Europe and also those of Latin American countries with which Europe has close relations. He goes on to emphasise the legitimate and exemplary nature of the relationship between Parliament and the European Council.

Table showing cooperation by Spain with bodies, major programmes and facilities of the Communities in 1992.

In this interview, Carlos María Bru Purón, Member of the European Parliament from 1986 to 1994, discusses the Single European Act, the maximalist policies of Altiero Spinelli, the Spanish contributions to the concepts of social cohesion and European citizenship, and the establishment of specifically European political parties.

In this interview, Marcelino Oreja, Secretary General of the Council of Europe from 1984 to 1989, Member of the European Parliament from 1989 to 1993 and Member of the European Commission from 1994 to 1999, describes these posts and his role. He explains that in the Council of Europe, the priorities are cooperation between European countries and the defence of human rights and fundamental freedoms from a legal, political and social viewpoint, not forgetting the European cultural dimension. He describes his experience on the European Parliament's Committee on Constitutional Affairs, particularly in the light of the challenges represented by the Treaty of Maastricht and by monetary union. He also looks back at his various roles and activities as Chairman of the Joint Committee for European Union in the Spanish Parliament, and as Member of the European Commission.