During negotiations on the issue of Spain and Portugal's entry to the European Community, the Greek Prime Minister, Andreas Papandreou, expresses his reservations on the subject.

‘May 1979: Greece applies for accession to the EC.’ In May 1979, with a view to the possible enlargement of the European Communities to include Greece, Spain and Portugal, the German cartoonist, Horst Haitzinger, speculates on the capacity of the Nine to welcome new Member States.

In March 1977, the monthly publication Vision gives an account of the economic situation of the three future candidate countries for accession to the European Economic Community: Spain, Greece and Portugal.

En mars 1977, le mensuel du Mouvement européen néerlandais Nieuw Europa détaille les avantages ainsi que les désavantages de l'élargissement des Communautés européennes vers la Grèce, le Portugal et l'Espagne.

The French cartoonist, Plantu, illustrates the new democracies of Greece, Portugal and Spain who have freed themselves from the chains of the past and are delighted at being able to join the European Communities.

En mars 1977, Peter van Iersel, secrétaire de la Confédération chrétienne du patronat néerlandais, détaille dans le mensuel du Mouvement européen néerlandais Nieuw Europa ses considérations sur l'élargissement des Communautés européennes vers les pays du Sud.

In April 1977, the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung expresses its concern regarding the difficulties involved in a possible enlargement of the European Economic Community (EEC) towards southern Europe.

On 31 May 1977, Louis de Guiringaud, French Foreign Minister, explains to the Senate the complexity of future accession negotiations with the European Communities and argues in favour of a reform of the Community institutions before any further enlargement takes place.

In July 1977, the Italian journal Affari Esteri outlines the problems with which Italy will be faced in the event of a future enlargement of the European Communities to include Greece, Portugal and Spain.

In its September 1977 edition, the French monthly journal 30 jours d’Europe publishes a special report on the forthcoming enlargement of the Community to include Greece, Spain and Portugal, in which it analyses the situation of each country and the implications of their accession to the European Communities.

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 January 1979, the European Parliament adopts a resolution in which it expresses its support for the enlargement of the European Communities to include Greece, Spain and Portugal.

In February 1979, writing in the magazine L’Europe en formation about the accession of Greece to the European Communities, the federalist journalist Jean-Pierre Gouzy, attaché at CIFE (International European Training Centre), reviews the challenges that will have to be faced by a Europe of the Ten.

On 28 May 1979, the French Communist daily newspaper L’Humanité outlines the various dangers resulting from a further enlargement of the European Communities to include Greece, Spain and Portugal.

"Les autostoppeurs..." En 1980, le caricaturiste Fritz Behrendt illustre le futur élargissement de l'Europe communautaire à la Grèce, à l'Espagne et au Portugal.