Felipe González recalls EU accession as a "national task" on its 40th anniversary.

Uría Menéndez commemorates the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Accession of Spain and Portugal to the European Union.

Felipe González, President of the Spanish Government at the time of the signing of the Treaty of Accession to the European Communities, recalled the negotiations as a "national task" that involved all political, economic, and social actors. During his speech, he emphasized the need for "Europe to assume responsibility for its own destiny in a multipolar and unstable world."

These reflections took place at an institutional event organized by Uría Menéndez at its headquarters in Madrid to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty. In a conversation with Rocío Martínez-Sampere, director of the Felipe González Foundation, the historical importance of integration for Spain and Portugal was discussed, as well as the need to recover an exciting narrative for Europe that connects with younger generations.

The event, which brought together prominent figures from the political, legal, and academic fields, was opened by Jesús Remón, managing partner of Uría Menéndez. Remón emphasized that "the accession was a fundamental point of the consensus that made the Transition and the 1978 Constitution possible," a "national objective" that can be understood as the culmination of the transition to democracy.

The event continued with a panel discussion on the impact of EU law on national legal systems. The panel, moderated by partner Miguel Martínez Gimeno, featured three prominent figures from the European judiciary: Rosario Silva de Lapuerta, judge and former Vice-President of the Court of Justice of the European Union; Pedro Cruz Villalón, former President of the Constitutional Court and former Advocate General of the CJEU; and Miguel Sampol Pucurull, judge of the General Court of the European Union.

The closing ceremony was led by Salvador Sánchez-Terán, managing partner of Uría Menéndez, who honored the firm's founder, Rodrigo Uría Meruéndano. He stated that he "would be especially proud of this event," not only for his firm pro-European vocation, but also for his role as a jurist committed to opening Spain to the world and strengthening the rule of law.