Portugal celebrates 40 years in the EU
Political leaders gathered at the Jerónimos Monastery to celebrate 40 years of EU membership, offering both praise for the country's transformation and candid reflections on missed opportunities.
Portugal celebrated four decades of European Union membership on Thursday in a commemorative ceremony at Lisbon’s Jerónimos Monastery, the same historic site where the country signed its accession treaty in 1985.
Speaking earlier to PÚBLICO, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen paid tribute to Portugal’s “profound sense of community and pioneering spirit,” drawing a symbolic parallel between the country’s Age of Discovery and its modern-day role in the EU.
“Portugal was building bridges between cultures long before globalization existed,” she told PÚBLICO.
She praised the country’s leadership in Erasmus student exchanges, renewable energy, and ocean conservation, calling Portugal’s EU story “one of vision and resilience.”
From Doubts to Transformation
Portugal’s entry into the European Economic Community on June 12, 1985, followed prolonged negotiations marked by skepticism over the country’s post-revolution stability and economic fragility. Yet the decision proved transformative.
Since joining, Portugal has received over €167 billion in EU funding, invested in infrastructure, agriculture, and education. An additional €30 billion is allocated under the Recovery and Resilience Plan.
The results are visible nationwide: 3,065 kilometers of highways—85% EU-funded—have cut travel times dramatically, and fiber-optic broadband now reaches 93% of rural homes.
However, economic gains have not been evenly distributed. Portugal’s GDP per capita rose from 55% to 83% of the EU average, but momentum stalled in the 2000s, leaving the country in what analysts call the "middle-income trap."
Infrastructure Boom and Its Discontents
No sector has changed more visibly than transport. Portugal now boasts Europe’s fourth-densest highway network, featuring landmark projects like the Vasco da Gama Bridge and the upcoming Lisbon–Porto high-speed rail line.
Yet not all investments have paid off. Underused projects such as the A24 highway have sparked criticism, prompting the EU to block further road funding in 2021.
Agriculture, too, saw significant EU-backed modernization. Wine exports tripled, but small farmers still face tough competition from larger Spanish producers.
In science, research and development spending rose to 1.7% of GDP—still just half the EU average.
In healthcare, digital innovations like electronic patient records mark progress, but they coexist with persistent challenges: aging infrastructure and chronic staff shortages.
Education: A Quiet Revolution
Education stands out as one of Portugal’s most significant success stories since joining the EU.
In 1985, more than 20% of adults were illiterate. Today, that figure is near zero.
Programs like Novas Oportunidades helped cut early school leaving to 5.9%, just above the EU average.
Portuguese universities increasingly attract international students, and tech hubs like Lisbon’s Startup Campus flourish with EU support. Still, the country faces a continuing brain drain.
“We built labs with EU money,” said researcher Ana Ferreira, “but many peers left for Berlin or Geneva.”
A call for unity amid challenges
Prime Minister Luís Montenegro used the occasion to deliver a sobering message, warning against the rise of populism and extremism across Europe.
“There must be no space for those who seek to divide and exploit,” he said, acknowledging that Portugal has not always fully seized the opportunities EU membership has offered.
Montenegro cited structural challenges Europe must face together: demographic shifts, regional inequalities, housing shortages, economic competitiveness, and wage stagnation.
Addressing them, he said, requires “political courage, strategic vision, and a renewed commitment to deepening the European project.”
“The EU is not perfect,” he added, “but it remains the most ambitious alliance between nations—one we must continually defend.”
Highlighting Portugal’s global role, he noted: “By joining Europe, Portugal opened itself to the continent, but also helped open Europe to the world, strengthening ties with Lusophone nations, Africa, Latin America, and Asia.”
“A Second April 25”
Former European Commission President and former Portuguese Prime Minister José Manuel Durão Barroso called Portugal’s accession its “second April 25,” referencing the 1974 Carnation Revolution that restored democracy.
He credited EU membership with consolidating Portugal’s democratic institutions and fostering “remarkable economic, social, and cultural progress.”
Since 1985, nominal GDP per capita has grown tenfold, from $2,700 to $27,000, and life expectancy has increased by a decade.
A Shared Success Story
Current European Council President, and former Prime Minister, António Costa echoed the sentiment, calling Portugal’s EU experience a “case of shared success.”
He noted that accession completed the country’s democratic transition and vastly improved health, education, and income indicators.
“Today, 43% of young Portuguese adults have a higher education degree, and illiteracy has nearly disappeared,” Costa said.
He praised EU solidarity during crises like the pandemic but reminded the audience that “the EU isn’t perfect—it’s a permanent work in progress.”
Looking Ahead
As Portugal prepares to deploy €21 billion from the Portugal 2030 program, leaders are reflecting on lessons learned.
“We poured concrete before investing enough in skills,” Costa admitted.
Still, the mood was forward-looking.
In her interview with PÚBLICO, Von der Leyen struck a hopeful note: “Portugal taught Europe that solidarity is not charity, it’s smart investment.”