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๏ End of the Estado Novo authoritative regime +
the beginning of the transition towards
democracy = significant changes in the
Portuguese foreign policy priorities

๏ Between April 1974 and July 1976 the first,
timid, inconsistent and somewhat casual pro-
democratic steps were taken towards choosing
Europe as a political and economic reference for
the new political regime

๏ Portugal was no longer an apprentice in regard
to European integration, but it had never
followed the “main route”

๏ In the 1960’s, despite the non-democratic
nature of the political regime and the
Government’s little political interest in European
integration, it was able to collect economic
benefits and advantages from it

๏ Two requests to enhance the existing
relationship between the country and the EU in
the 1960’s and the signing of trade agreements
in 1972

๏ Only after 1974, with the slow emergence of a
new political regime in Portugal, the relationship
between Portugal and the EU improved and
underwent a positive change, especially by the
decision to join the EU

๏ Amongst the reasons that supported the
accession request one stands out: democratic
consolidation