Portugal na CEE

Only a few years after the Carnation Revolution that ended dictatorship and brought democracy to Portugal, Mr Soares summoned two dozen or so of the country's most respected economic experts, to advise him on whether it would be in Portugal's interests to apply to join the then European Economic Community. One by one, the invited sages told him Portugal was too weak an economy to stand the shock of opening its markets to countries like France or Germany. Portugal should seek some form of special associate membership, Mr Soares was told. Full membership would be simply too dangerous.

 As the meeting drew to a close, Mr Soares looked at his watch. "Gentlemen," he announced. "At this very moment a letter applying for EEC membership is being handed over in Brussels." There was uproar. Why had the prime minister invited people to debate the economic merits of this decision, if he had already made up his mind, Mr Soares was asked, angrily. Because I wanted everyone to understand that this was not an economic decision, he replied. We are joining Europe to make sure this country will never be a dictatorship again, of the right or the left.

Charlemagne, The Economist 

Reflexões e histórias de um correspondente da The Economist sobre Portugal, a entrada no Euro e na CEE.