The course of Greece in the European Union

Greece's European orientation predates the linking of the country's course with efforts towards European integration within the context of the European Community / Union.  However, the orientation became concrete upon submission of the application for accession to the newly established European Economic Community in June 1959, an application that led to the Association Agreement between Greece and the EEC, signed in June 1961.  This Agreement, which in fact constituted the first step towards Greece's integration into the European Community, "froze" when dictatorship was established in Greece (April 1967) and was re-activated after democracy was restored (July 1974).

The Greek Government, and Constantinos Caramanlis in particular, aimed at integrating the country into the European Union as a full member.  Indeed, the application for full accession was submitted on July 12, 1975, by means of a letter to this effect that C. Caramanlis addressed to G. Fitzgerald, President at the time of the European Union Ministerial Council and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ireland.

The reasons for which Greece chose full accession to the Community can be summed up as follows:

• Greece considered the Community to be the institutional framework within which stability could be brought into its democratic political system and institutions. 
• Greece sought to enforce its independence and position within the regional and international system as well as its "power to negotiate", particularly in relation to Turkey, which, after the invasion and occupation of Cyprus (July 1974), appeared as a major threat to Greece.  Within this context, Greece also sought to loosen its strong post-war dependence upon the US. 
• Accession into the Community was regarded by Greece as a powerful factor that would contribute to the development and modernization of the Greek economy and Greek society. 
• Greece wanted, as a European country, to have "presence" in, and an impact on, the process towards European integration and the European model.
• The European Community's first reaction to the Greek application was initially expressed by the European Commission, which, according to article 237 (at the time) of the Treaty of Rome, had to state its "opinion" on the country's application for accession to the Community.  The Commission published its "opinion" on January 28, 1976.  Surprisingly, while it stressed that a "clearly positive response" should be given to Greece's request for accession, it proposed the institutionalization of a pre-accession transition period before full institutional integration, in order for the necessary economic reforms to take place.

Prime Minister Karamanlis appealed to the governments of the nine member states - France and Germany in particular - and the Commission's proposal was rejected.  Accession negotiations were initiated in July 1976 and brought to a conclusion in May 1979, with the signing of the Accession Deed in Athens (Zappeion Megaron).  The Greek Parliament ratified the Accession Deed of Greece to the European Community on June 28, 1979.

Greece's participation in the European Community / Union over the period 1981-2002 could be divided into three basic sub-periods: the first, from 1981 to 1985, the second, from 1985 to 1995, and the third, from 1996 to date.

The first period is characterized by strong doubts concerning certain serious aspects of European integration.  Meanwhile, another goal was to re-determine the country's position within the community by means of establishing a "special regime" of relations and regulations. For this purpose, in March 1982 Greece submitted a Memorandum requesting additional divergence from implementing certain community policies as well as further economic support in order to restructure Greek economy.  The European Commission acknowledged only the second request as well-founded, which was actually met by means of the Integrated Mediterranean Programs (IMPs) approved in 1985.  The significance of the IMPs was much greater than the additional funds that were approved for Greece, for they introduced, on behalf of the European Union, an effort towards structural policy development shaped in 1988 with the new structural policy, by means the first "Delors packet".

During this period Greece was particularly reserved concerning general issues with regard to European integration, and particularly to the efforts and plans aimed at further integration in the departments of institutions, politics and defense.

During the second period of participation, the policy Greece maintained with regard to the EU was characterized by the gradual adoption of stronger pro-integration positions.  Particularly from 1988 on, Greece began to support the "federal" integration model as well as the development of joint policy in new departments (education, health, and environment), the strengthening of supra-national institutions (Commission, Parliament) and the development of a joint foreign and security policy by the Union.  On the other hand, however, inconsistencies remained in both the sector of economy, with the country diverging from the average "community" development level, and the political sector, with the problem of the FYROM name, which was defused when the intermediate Agreement was signed.

Moreover, as of 1987 Greece started to project as its main goal the securing of Cyprus' accession to the European Community.  For this purpose, Greece supported the Nicosia Government in the latter's application for accession, submitted in June 1990.

The third period of Greece's participation in the Community / Union commenced in 1996 and has been characterized by even further support for the idea and process of European integration and intensifying integration in every department, in line with the federal model.  It is also characterized by an effort towards greater economic and social convergence with the fulfilment of the "convergence criteria" set by the Maastricht Treaty and Greece's participation as a full member in the single currency (euro) and the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) since January 1, 2002.