The year 2021 marks 40 years since the accession of Greece to the European Communities, a landmark event that defined the modern political history of our country. As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution, we are given the opportunity to reflect on the fact that Greece’s integration finally fulfilled the European and liberal ideals of the founding thinkers of the Greek state, placing the country at the inner core of the European frontline.
Greece’s accession to the European Economic Community (EEC) – officially since 1981, but essentially since 1979 – was a political turning point that irrevocably shielded Democracy and institutional normality in post-dictatorship Greece, at a time when the country was developing a multilateral foreign policy in the face of Turkish aggression and wider geopolitical instability. Our European partners have accepted their historic responsibility and the accession of Greece was a primary example of the EEC – the forerunner of the European Union – as an acting political entity with a special geopolitical and institutional weight.
No one can doubt the vital contribution of Konstantinos Karamanlis. Greece’s accession to the Communities would have been impossible without the initiatives of the charismatic Greek leader. The first application for association was signed in June 1959 under his Prime Ministership – leading to the historic association agreement between Greece and the EEC in June 1961. The agreement “froze” after the imposition of the military dictatorship in 1967, but was reactivated seven years later, after the restoration of democracy in July 1974. When Karamanlis was elected he announced on June 12, 1975 his intention to apply for full membership in the EEC. On May 28, 1979, after 4 years of laborious negotiations, Greece achieved full membership. The “Ethnarch” had also become the “Father of Greece’s Accession”.
As a full member of the EEC, our country has from the very beginning made valuable contributions to the European project: a rich cultural past, quality human resources and of course the international specialization in advanced sectors such as shipping. At the same time, the EEC for the first time gained presence in the South-eastern Mediterranean, the cross-section of two continents. Most important, however, is the fact that Greece was a founding symbol of the European structure and its accession was a necessary condition for further political integration of the EEC.
On the other hand, the benefits of membership for Greece soon became felt. Our European course resulted in the acceleration of institutional and administrative modernization, cutting down bureaucracy and promoting transparency, accountability and the protection of citizens’ rights. Our national interests found permanent and consistent support within the European institutions, while Greek diplomacy was learning to function on the long term and to being consistent with the European institutions.
The accession of the Republic of Cyprus to the European Union in 2004 is perhaps the most compelling argument for the strategic security choice of the European Union as the only means to serve our national interests. On its part, Greece today exports stability, guarantees peace and plays a leading role in the Balkans, having full confidence in its multiple capabilities in the face of any kind of challenge from abroad.
In our everyday life, we Greeks have experienced an unprecedented improvement in our living conditions, through the Community co-financing of 200 billion Euros for vital infrastructure projects, the improvement of human capital and knowledge-based economy, especially for the younger generations who were born and raised as European citizens. The mobility of students and skilled workers is the most promising aspect of Greece’s integration into this community of 500 million people where goods, services and ideas circulate freely. Our entry into the Monetary Union in 2012 respectively allowed us to stabilise our financial system and eliminate chronic pathogens that plagued the business and productive sectors of our society.
Of course, the relationship of the Greeks with the idea of the European Union was not always comfortable, but we quickly left the scepticism of the 1980s behind and emerged as pioneers of the European vision, a fact that was appreciated by all our partners. Nevertheless, the rigidities and inactions due to a troubled institutional past did not allow Greece to adapt in time to the new conditions of the open economy. The shock of the global economic crisis that spread through Europe in the decade of 2010 hit Greece with severity. The country and its citizens paid a high price, but showed perseverance. In the end, our answer was “more Europe”. In fact, History has vindicated us, proving that increasingly complex problems require common solutions.
This is becoming even more apparent today. In one of its most difficult tests in its history, the European Union was called upon to show the necessary reflexes. Despite the initial wavering, the Union coordinated the joint procurement of medical supplies and from the outset began funding valuable research for the development of new vaccines. The implementation of the pan-European vaccination program in 2021 is now our immediate priority. At the same time the European Union has shown the required flexibility in dealing with the economic crisis, supporting employment through the Recovery Fund.
Now, as Europe emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, Greek citizens are invited to join their fellow Europeans in one of the most ambitious multilateral democratic projects ever to take place, the Conference on the Future of Europe.
In this pan-European dialogue, our country will play a leading role and will actively participate presenting concrete proposals. The National proposal includes 6+1 action lines concerning the European Defense and Security Policy, European Cohesion Policies, Environment and Climate Change, Immigration, Research and Innovation, with emphasis on the participation of Youth, the EMU deepening strategy and the triptych “Rule of Law-Democracy-Human Rights”.
Having acquired the experience of a laborious but successful European course of 40 years and with the high sensitivity that characterizes us in matters of democracy and geopolitics, the time has come for us to position ourselves for the future of Europe, confirming our past but also responding calmly to the challenges of a complex present.
