From dictatorship to EC membership – Greece, Portugal and Spain had much to change first, but their entries changed the nature of EU integration forever.

History: The Mediterranean Enlargement 1981-1986

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May 29, 1986.  It was party time in Europe.

Eurovision winner and Belgian star  Sandra Kim performed

at the first raising of the European flag  at the European Commission in Brussels.

'J'aime la vie' seemed the ideal anthem  for '80s Europe

with the entry of Club Med countries:  Greece, Portugal and Spain.

The story of the Mediterranean  enlargement was the EU's coming of age.

In the 1970s, Greece, Portugal and Spain  were still ruled by dictators.

One by one they turned against  authoritarianism, towards Europe.

Portugal had another chronological  coincidence: the end of empire.

Portugal was  the very last European power

The independence  of Angola and Mozambique

meant the end of dictatorship  and opened the door to Europe.

The Mediterranean enlargement  differed from earlier ones.

Greece passed the hurdles  without trouble

Greece brings to us  its history and its culture,

Europe's democratic roots  in Greek history were mentioned,

changed European enlargement  and the Community itself for ever.

It was only after the signing of the Treaty  and especially during the 1960s

Can we admit Franco's Spain  into this club? And if not, why not?

If we can't admit it, this has something  to do with democracy, human rights...

So it was a process of adapting our laws  and institutions to the acquis,

to ensure that it was  in line with democratic standards.

But is wasn't just  a question of human rights.

Spain's fishing armada  also caused concern.

It was larger than the EC's entire fleet.  French fishermen attacked foreign trucks

and French truckers blockaded  the Spanish border until 1984.

I remember  Prime Minister Andreotti saying,

in the final discussions,  when they were talking about fisheries...

'I can't understand  why our Lord Jesus Christ

chose his apostles from among fishermen  because they were so complicated.'

Spain's entry would also increase  the EC's agricultural area by 30%

with a huge impact  on the Common Agricultural Policy.

The Common Agricultural Policy  at that time in the 1970s and early 1980s

was still about 80%  of the Community's budget.

So admitting Spain was not a minor affair

because so much of the budget  went to agricultural subsidies.

January 1, 1986, meant Europe enlarged  across the Mediterranean coastline,

but it wasn't just about  more beach holidays.

We all appreciate, for example,  the seriousness of the Germans,

but also the joie de vivre  of the Mediterranean.

And with maybe  the capacity for hard work,

The Mediterranean enlargement would  become an example for EU integration.

The fears over agriculture, fishing  and migration proved unfounded.

But the same myths  reappeared in future enlargements