Third enlargement: Spain and Portugal
Third enlargement: Spain and Portugal
Third enlargement: Spain and Portugal
Cartoon by Behrendt on the dictatorships in Spain and Portugal (May 1962)
Bild'A small contribution to the Community of European Peoples'. In May 1962, the cartoonist, Berhendt, criticises the power of the dictators in Spain and Portugal, who exclude the Iberian Peninsula from the process of European integration.
‘Iberian differences’ from Le Figaro (8 October 1975)
TextOn 8 October 1975, in the French daily newspaper Le Figaro, Raymond Aron highlights the differences between political developments under way in Portugal and those in Spain and the differences between the reactions of the United States and the Nine.
Cartoon by Hanel on Spain and Portugal’s accession to the EEC (1985)
Bild‘European Communities — Welcome to a united Europe!’ In 1985, German cartoonist, Hanel, illustrates Spain and Portugal’s accession to the European Communities which are divided and subject to internal disputes.
‘Europe of the Twelve’ from L’Europe en Formation (March 1985)
TextIn March 1985, the federalist journal L’Europe en Formation welcomes the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities and calls for a change in the decision-making process in order to ensure the viability of the Community system.
‘EC enlargement: “Everything will change”’ from Der Spiegel (8 April 1985)
TextIn April 1985, the German weekly magazine Der Spiegel reviews the potential advantages and disadvantages of the enlargement of the European Economic Community (EEC) to include Portugal and Spain.
'Portugal, Spain and the EEC' from El País (27 May 1985)
TextOn 27 May 1985, the Madrid daily newspaper El País considers the implications of the enlargement of the European Communities, on 1 January 1986, to include Spain and Portugal.
‘As of yesterday the EEC has a population of 321 million' from the Luxemburger Wort (1 January 1986)
TextOn 1 January 1986, Spain and Portugal officially become Member States of the European Community. On this occasion, the Luxemburger Wort reviews the respective strengths and weaknesses of the 12 Member States of the European Communities.
'Portugal and Spain join the Community' from the EFTA Bulletin (April 1986)
TextIn April 1986, in an article in the periodical EFTA Bulletin, Sven Norberg, Director of Legal Affairs in the Secretariat of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), analyses the consequences of the accession of Portugal and Spain to the European Economic Community (EEC) for the future of EFTA.
Interview with Simone Veil: the accession of Spain and Portugal to the Communities (Luxembourg, 10 July 1986)
TonOn 10 July 1986, in Luxembourg, Simone Veil, Chairman of the Liberal and Democratic Reformist Group in the European Parliament, gives an interview during which she welcomes the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities, whilst highlighting the implications of this enlargement.
The accession of Greece, Portugal and Spain to the European Communities (1981 and 1986)
KarteOn 1 January 1986, the accession of Spain and Portugal brings the number of Member States of the European Communities to twelve.
Interview with Catherine Lalumière: François Mitterrand’s commitment to the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities (Paris, 17 May 2006)
VideoIn this interview, Catherine Lalumière, former French Junior Minister for European Affairs, describes the position adopted by French President François Mitterrand in 1984–1985, during the final stage of the negotiations for the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities.
Interview with Jacques Delors (Paris, 16 December 2009) — Excerpt: The accession of Spain and Portugal
VideoIn this interview excerpt, Jacques Delors, President of the Commission of the European Communities from 1985 to 1995, discusses the negotiations that preceded the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities, and particularly reflects on the role that he played in these negotiations.
Accession procedure
European Parliament resolution on the continuation of negotiations with Spain and Portugal (9 July 1982)
TextOn 9 July 1982, the European Parliament adopts a resolution in which it calls on the Commission and the Council to speed up the negotiations for the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Economic Community (EEC).
European Parliament resolution on the negotiations with Spain and Portugal and their repercussions (9 July 1982)
TextOn 9 July 1982, the European Parliament adopts a resolution in which it calls on the European Commission to indicate which proposals it intends to submit so that the enlargement to include Spain and Portugal does not lead to a weakening of the Community but rather represents an opportunity for a deepening of common policies and a strengthening of the decision-making process.
European Parliament resolution on the enlargement of the EEC to include Spain and Portugal (17 November 1982)
TextOn 17 November 1982, the European Parliament adopts a resolution in which it considers, in particular, the political, institutional, economic, social and environmental implications of the future accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Economic Community (EEC).
European Parliament resolution on Mediterranean agriculture and enlargement towards the south (17 November 1982)
TextOn 17 November 1982, the European Parliament adopts a resolution in which it highlights the implications of the enlargement of the European Economic Community (EEC) to include Spain and Portugal, with particular regard to the special situation of their agriculture.
Commission Communication, Problems of enlargement. Taking stock and proposals (3 and 4 December 1982)
TextIn a communication to the European Council of December 1982, the European Commission draws up a report detailing the problems associated with the enlargement of the European Communities to include Spain and Portugal and sets out proposals that are designed to speed up the integration of these two countries into the European Economic Community (EEC).
European Parliament resolution embodying the opinion on the conclusion of the negotiations with Spain and Portugal (8 May 1985)
TextBy resolution of 8 May 1985, the European Parliament gives its opinion on the Council's decision concerning the Community enlargement to include Spain and Portugal. The Parliament welcomes in particular the conclusion of the accession negotiations and declares its approval, with one exception, of the institutional agreements.
Commission Opinion on the applications for accession to the European Communities by Spain and Portugal (31 May 1985)
TextOn 31 May 1985, the European Commission delivers a favourable opinion on the applications for accession to the European Communities by Portugal and Spain.
Council decision on the accession of Spain and Portugal to the ECSC (11 June 1985)
TextOn 11 June 1985, the Council of the European Communities sets the conditions for Spain and Portugal’s accession to the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC).
Treaty on the accession of Spain and Portugal to the EEC and the EAEC (12 June 1985)
TextOn 12 June 1985, in Madrid and Lisbon, the Heads of State or Government of the Ten and those of Spain and Portugal sign the Treaty of Accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Economic Community (EEC) and to the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC).
The accession of Spain and Portugal (RTL, 12 June 1985)
TonOn 12 June 1985, the RTL editorial team looks back at the diplomatic negotiations that led to the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities on 1 January 1986.
The hoisting of the Spanish and Portuguese flags in Brussels (1 January 1986)
BildOn 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.