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EUROPEANS

PORTUGAL, EUROPE AND THE WORLD

"Perhaps it was a bad dream to wish for a ‘united’ Europe so different from what it had been for centuries and wonderfully still is: a coexistence of neighbouring and enemy ‘nations’, rich in their difference. (…)

The first and decisive steps have been taken towards achieving our accession to Europe(…)"

Eduardo Lourenço “Quo Vadis, Europa?”, Público, 12 July 2012

On 28 March 1977, the Prime Minister of the First Constitutional Government, Mário Soares, formally and solemnly submitted Portugal’s application for membership of the European Communities. Almost ten years later, on 1 January 1986, Portugal formally became a member of the Communities.


However, Portuguese integration in the European Union has a past that, in terms of contemporary history, began with the processes of European cooperation, set in motion after the Second World War.

Through the Marshall Plan and the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation (OEEC), a first step towards European economic cooperation took place in which Portugal participated fully from the outset, and despite the context of scepticism and resistance, a process of growing internationalisation of the Portuguese economy and society took place. This opened a path which has extended to the present day and concerns not only the economic reality but also political life.

To recall the idea of Europeans is to bear in mind the many challenges that the European Union has overcome and continues to face, promoting convergence between its Member States on fundamental issues, accompanying the changes taking place at an accelerated pace in Europe and the world.

Europe, the citizens, the Europeans, live in times of uncertainty and instability, dominated by threats and challenges on a global scale, of which climate change, increasing geopolitical tension and the affirmation of radicalisms of different natures and the impact of the technological revolution should be mentioned, and these can only be overcome together, in a union centred on solidarity between peoples and the defence of human rights, peace and democracy.

In this exhibition, in which we experience the adventure of European construction in recent decades, we observe the past, looking at the future of Portugal, Europe and the world, at a time when we are going through one of the harshest crises of recent times, caused by the new coronavirus pandemic – Covid-19.

1945

END OF WORLD WAR II

8.5.1945 End of World War II in Europe.

1947

COLD WAR

1947 Cold War.

12 March: announcement of the Truman Doctrine.

5 June: speech by George Marshall, following which the Marshall Plan / European Recovery Plan is set up.

1951

ECSC

18.4.1951 Setting up of the ECSC – European Coal and Steel Community, through the Treaty of Paris.

Signed by six countries: France, Germany, Italy and Benelux. Luxembourg becomes the location of the High Authority, chaired by Jean Monnet. This was ended in 2002.

1957

TREATY OF ROME

25.3.1957 Treaty of Rome.

Signing in Rome by the Six (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) of the Treaties establishing the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom).

1960

EFTA

4.1.1960 Signing, in Stockholm, Sweden, of the Convention establishing the European Free Trade Association / EFTA, consisting of Austria, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Portugal benefits from a special customs regime set out in Annexe G to the Treaty.

1965

TREATY OF BRUSSELS

8.4.1965 Treaty of Brussels.

Signing of the Merger Treaty for the executives of the three Communities (ECSC, EEC, Euratom), establishing a single Council and Commission. The Treaty, giving rise to the European Community, entered into force on 1 July 1967.

1974

PARIS SUMMIT

9.12.1974 Paris Summit, 9 and 10 December.

The Heads of State and Government of the Community decide to hold meetings three times a year, changing their name to the European Council; the principle of direct elections to the European Parliament is introduced; they agree to set up the ERDF – European Regional Development Fund – and decide to establish the Economic and Monetary Union.

1986

SINGLE EUROPEAN ACT

17.2.1986 Luxembourg and the Hague, 17 and 28 February.

Signing of the Single European Act.

1992

TREATY ON EU

7.2.1992 Maastricht.

Signing of the Treaty on European Union by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance of the Twelve, in a ceremony chaired by Cavaco Silva.

The creation of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and the introduction of the single currency are established.

1997

TREATY OF AMSTERDAM

2.10.1997 Signing of the Treaty of Amsterdam.

This entered into force on 1 May 1999.

1999

OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF THE EURO

1.1.1999 Official launch of the euro.

The Council irrevocably sets the conversion rates of the participating currencies to the euro. The euro comes into being as a currency and the national currencies of the participating countries become subdivisions of the euro.

Germany, Austria, Belgium, Spain, Finland, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Portugal adopt the euro as their official currency.

2007

TREATY OF LISBON

13.12.2007 Treaty of Lisbon signed at the Jerónimos Monastery.

This entered into force on 1 December 2009.

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