Spain and Portugal, 35 years in the EU
On 12 June 1985, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Accession to the European Communities, with ceremonies held in the morning at the Hieronymites' monastery in Lisbon and in the afternoon at the Royal Palace in Madrid. They became part of the most extraordinary political project of the second half of the 20th century. For our two countries, this accession is confused with democracy: membership of the then EEC would not be possible without democracy; and democracy would be very fragile, and perhaps uncertain, without accession.
The 1974 revolution in Portugal paved the way for constituent elections and a new Constitution. The first constitutional government, chaired by Mário Soares, immediately called for Portugal to join the Common Market in 1976. The Government of Sá Carneiro and Freitas do Amaral, in 1980, relaunched the process, which, in the meantime, had been paralysed by governmental instability. Brussels would soon define that Portugal and Spain would enter on the same date, if the Spanish process, which began later, advanced at a good pace. This is what happened, once again in a government presided over by Mário Soares.
In Spain, the transition began in November 1975 with the death of Francisco Franco and his succession as head of state to King Juan Carlos I. In 1977 the first democratic elections were held and the Government of Adolfo Suárez requested the start of negotiations which were accepted that same year. In 1978 the new Constitution was approved and in 1979 negotiations with Brussels began, which were continued by the government of Leopoldo Calvo-Sotelo and concluded by that of Felipe González.
After 35 years, more than half the time since the beginning of the integration in 1957, Spain and Portugal can be considered part of the founders. We are two of the first 12. We are part of the redefinition generated by the European Union in 1992. We are part of the change brought about by the fall of the Wall. We are part of the drivers of the major enlargements at the beginning of the 21st century.
Today, we are far from that era of enthusiasm. We are going through times of hesitation, division and difficulty. We need to ask ourselves seriously, with an open mind, what generated the Brexit. What did we do to the British to make the majority decide to leave, 44 years after they were with us? What did the EU do to stop being a promise to them? What did we do to make them gain in scepticism, disbelief and disconnection?
It is important to restore the European dream. First, it is important to protect the cohesion and trust between us all. With the fall of the Wall in 1989, the European project changed its nature and vocation: it ceased to be a closed club and aspired to be the original mode of political and economic organisation of the European continent in the era of globalisation. A model that should also continue to be a beacon of civilisation and progress for other regions of the world.
The vocation of the EU is continental, attracting everyone and knowing how to maintain it. The priority is cohesion, it is the totality of all of us. Let us remember the proverb: "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go with others". In Europe, we come from afar; we want to go far.
The European institutions must show experience and vision, maturity and wisdom. As Jean-Claude Juncker warned in June 2017, Europe cannot be built against nations'. He added: "at 15 I was a federalist and now I do not believe in a United States of Europe." Wise words. Member States need the European Union; and the European Union needs its Member States, each and every one of them, vibrant democracies and secure nations, capable of being what they are, feeling and working together. Coudenhove-Kalergi, today, could certainly have written the same thing as Jean-Claude Juncker, since the United States of Europe' he talks about in his work Paneuropa', in 1923, was a philosophical ideal, not an exact political-legal model. This is what can be extracted from his texts of that pioneering decade. The key is to unite the states of Europe in order to preserve common values and build common wealth, freedom, justice and prosperity.
The European dream feeds on this identity and plurality. The European dream is peace forever, never again war in Europe. The European dream is democracy, freedom, the rule of law, progress and the well-being of all citizens. Everything is only possible with all the Member States, all of them motivated and secure. The greatest asset is that we are all. Weakened states weaken the Union, which lives off the strength of its states and the generosity and scope of its action. Spain and Portugal have been able to bring their national and European interests into line, thus contributing loyally to a common project. We have adopted the maxim that the more Spain and Portugal, the more Europe; and the more Europe, the more Spain and Portugal.
The Schuman Declaration of 9 May 1950 has a statement that can never abandon our spirit: "Europe will not be made all at once or in a single piece of work: it will be made through concrete achievements, which first create a de facto solidarity." After the scourge of COVID-19, we're there again. It's a time of challenge and opportunity. By pooling our resources, we must face the crisis and overcome together the very negative economic and social consequences of the pandemic. It can be done. It must be done. As quickly as possible. It would be disappointing if the Americans had helped and rescued Europe in the post-war period and the Europeans, with the EU at the forefront, did not know how to support and rebuild themselves.
It is once again the moment of truth. Yes, Europe will not be made through a single stroke, through bureaucratic or legal plots, or in networks of power. Yes, Europe is affirmed by concrete achievements that create de facto solidarity. It is time! It is once again the time for the European Union.
Carlos Uriarte Sánchez
Secretary General of Paneuropa Spain,
Director of the European Coudenhove-Kalergi Society
Professor of Law at the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
José Ribeiro e Castro
Member of the European Parliament (1999/2009)
Member of the European Movement
Former CDS leader