On 16 February 1986, the eve of the signature of the Single European Act (SEA), the Belgian newspaper La Libre Belgique publishes an article criticising the measures set out under the SEA and expressing the desire that the European Community develop, first and foremost, through a union of peoples.

On 17 February 1986, in Luxembourg, nine Member States sign the Single European Act (Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and the United Kingdom). In the foreground is the Dutch President of the European Council, Hans van den Broek.

On 17 February 1986, Roland Dumas, French Foreign Minister, signs the Single European Act in Luxembourg.

On 17 February 1986, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, German Foreign Minister, signs the Single European Act in Luxembourg.

On 17 February 1986, on the occasion of the signing of the Single European Act in Luxembourg, Robert Goebbels, Luxembourg’s Junior Foreign Minister, highlights the progress as well as the weaknesses of the Treaty.

On 17 February 1986, in Luxembourg, Giulio Andreotti, Italian Foreign Minister, emphasises the position of the Italian Government in relation to certain provisions of the Single European Act (SEA).

On 17 February 1986, Hans van den Broek, President of the Conference of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States of the European Communities, welcomes the signing of the Single European Act (SEA).

In this interview excerpt, Jacques Delors, President of the Commission of the European Communities from 1985 to 1995, describes the context in which the intergovernmental conference was opened, and emphasises the influence of the European Commission and the Luxembourg Presidency in the negotiations that led to the adoption of the Single European Act, Delors' ‘favourite treaty'.

On 18 February 1986, the British left-wing newspaper The Guardian reviews dissent among the European countries as the Single European Act is being signed.

The signing of the Single European Act (SEA) on 17 February 1986 in Luxembourg is only a partial success for German cartoonist Walter Hanel. The reform sought by the European Communities does not go far enough, and many countries express their disappointment at the lack of substance of the SEA. Moreover, Denmark, Italy and Greece do not sign the SEA until some days later, on 28 February 1986 in The Hague.

Denmark, Italy and Greece failed to sign the Single European Act on 17 February 1986, in Luxembourg. For the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, this highlights existing divisions between the European countries on the issue of reforming the European Community.