His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain, and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa address MEPs on Wednesday at 12.00 during a formal sitting.

Spain and Portugal signed their accession treaties to join the then-European Communities on 12 June 1985 and their membership became effective on 1 January 1986. Their integration in the European project was widely seen as a key step in full transition of the two countries to democracy, after several decades of dictatorship, which ended in 1974 in Portugal and 1975 in Spain.

The EU has further expanded since 1986, growing from 12 to 27 member states.

Formal sitting: The 40th anniversary of Spain and Portugal joining the EU

EP Plenary session - 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union

Strasbourg's Plenary session through the lens - Week 4.

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Felipe VI, King of Spain and Marcello REBELO DE SOUSA, President of Portugal

First Plenary session in the presence of members from Spain and Portugal in Strasbourg on January 13,1986.

Federico DE CARVAJAL Y PEREZ - President of Spanish Senate is welcomed by Pierre PFLIMLIN - EPPresident

Federico DE CARVAJAL Y PEREZ  and Pierre PFLIMLIN - Ep President. Arrival of the MEPs of Portugal and Spain following the accession of these countries to the EU.

Welcome ceremony by the President of the European Parliament. EEC Enlargement to Spain and Portugal.

Welcome ceremony to Spain and Portugal into the EEC

Number of seats per country in the EP following the accession of Spain and Portugal to the EU in 1986.

Accession of Portugal and Spain to the European Union

Jose Luis GARCIA RAYA, Francisco Javier SANZ FERNANDEZ and Antonio GARCIA-PAGAN ZAMORA  during the accession of Portugal and Spain to the European Union on the 1st of January 1986

Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain, and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa address MEPs during a formal sitting in the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union. President Metsola highlights the progress made by the European Union thanks to Spain and Portugal, congratulating the representatives for their support to the European Union. During the ceremony, a minute's silence was held for the victims of the train accident in Córdoba, and the President offered her sincere condolences to the King and the Spanish people. This news item shows extracts from the addresses during the formal sitting and from the Minute of Silence.

Formal Sitting with His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain and Marcelo Rebelo de SOUSA, President of Portugal, 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union: extracts from the addresses during the formal sitting

Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA, President of Portugal, address the plenary on a formal sitting celebrating the 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union. Spain and Portugal signed their accession treaties to join the then-European Communities on 12 June 1985 and their membership became effective on 1 January 1986. Their integration in the European project was widely seen as a key step in full transition of the two countries to democracy, after several decades of dictatorship, which ended in 1974 in Portugal and 1975 in Spain. The EU has further expanded since 1986, growing from 12 to 27 member states. "This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery".

Formal Sitting, 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union: address by Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA, President of Portugal

His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain, address the plenary on a formal sitting celebrating the 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union. Spain and Portugal signed their accession treaties to join the then-European Communities on 12 June 1985 and their membership became effective on 1 January 1986. Their integration in the European project was widely seen as a key step in full transition of the two countries to democracy, after several decades of dictatorship, which ended in 1974 in Portugal and 1975 in Spain. The EU has further expanded since 1986, growing from 12 to 27 member states. "This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery".

Formal Sitting, 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union: address by His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain

EP President Roberta METSOLA delivers a speech at the formal sitting celebrating the 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union. Spain and Portugal signed their accession treaties to join the then-European Communities on 12 June 1985 and their membership became effective on 1 January 1986. Their integration in the European project was widely seen as a key step in full transition of the two countries to democracy, after several decades of dictatorship, which ended in 1974 in Portugal and 1975 in Spain. The EU has further expanded since 1986, growing from 12 to 27 member states."This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery".

Formal Sitting, 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union: speech by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

Members observe a minute of silence in memory of the victims of the trains accidents in Spain.

Formal Sitting, 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union: one minute of silence in memory of the victims of the trains accidents in Spain

EP President Roberta METSOLA opens the formal sitting celebrating the 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union. Spain and Portugal signed their accession treaties to join the then-European Communities on 12 June 1985 and their membership became effective on 1 January 1986. Their integration in the European project was widely seen as a key step in full transition of the two countries to democracy, after several decades of dictatorship, which ended in 1974 in Portugal and 1975 in Spain. The EU has further expanded since 1986, growing from 12 to 27 member states. "This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery".

Formal Sitting, 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union: opening statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President

This News item presents extracts from the meeting between His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain, Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA, President of Portugal and Roberta METSOLA, EP President. Greetings with Antonio COSTA, President of the European Council His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain, and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa address MEPs during a formal sitting to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union. Spain and Portugal signed their accession treaties to join the then-European Communities on 12 June 1985 and their membership became effective on 1 January 1986. Their integration in the European project was widely seen as a key step in full transition of the two countries to democracy, after several decades of dictatorship, which ended in 1974 in Portugal and 1975 in Spain. The EU has further expanded since 1986, growing from 12 to 27 member states.

Formal Sitting with His Majesty Felipe VI, King of Spain and Marcelo REBELO DE SOUSA, President of Portugal, 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the EU: extracts from the meeting with Roberta METSOLA, EP President

This video marks the 40th anniversary of the accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Communities through an intergenerational, citizen-centred narrative. Young Europeans engage in conversations with a generation that experienced the 1986 enlargement firsthand, reflecting on how EU membership transformed daily life, opportunities, and territories over four decades.

Enlargement to Portugal (T)

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