This paper examines Spain's membership in the European Union, beginning with an overview of EU trade and development aims. It explores the Copenhagen Criteria that governed Spain's 1986 accession and then surveys the structural funds, cohesion funds, and targeted grants — covering employment, education, and transport — that have shaped Spain's economic and regional development. The paper also analyses how EU community policies on gender equality and education have affected Spain, before turning to the introduction of the euro and the broader enlargement of the Union. The conclusion argues that EU membership has been substantially beneficial for Spain and that the Union itself has grown stronger as additional member states have joined.
Why did Spain join the European Union? What criteria did Spain possess that the European Union found sufficient to allow Spain's entry? To answer these questions, an overview of the European Union's functions and aims must first be established. The European Union has recognized that trade is the primary method by which poorer countries of the world can improve their circumstances, and it does all it can to encourage trade and exports among developing nations.
The European Union also offers aid to poorer and developing countries all over the world, helping them boost their economies and productive capacity, fight poverty and other debilitating conditions, and ultimately join the global economy and prosper as developed countries do. To encourage trade and economic growth in developing countries, the European Union created a "Generalized System of Preferences" (GSP) in 1971, removing not only tariffs but also quotas on imports from those developing countries with which it has trade relations. From 2001 onward, the EU also removed tariffs on all exports from the 49 least-developed countries worldwide, with arms exempted under this policy. (Overview of the European Union Activities: Development)
The European Union enjoys a strong trading relationship with the 78 countries that form the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group. If all rich countries were to follow this model, it would be a definite boon to the developing world. However, the ACP Group's share of the EU trade market has been on a steady decline, leaving it increasingly marginalized in world trade. This is a key reason why the EU focuses heavily on providing financial aid and technical assistance to developing countries, helping them build production capabilities, strengthen administrative capacities, improve physical and social infrastructure, attract inward investment, and take fuller advantage of international trade opportunities. (Overview of the European Union Activities: Development)
For this reason, the EU combines trade and aid for developing countries in ways designed to maximize usefulness. It has been negotiating with ACP countries on a set of integrated plans intended to be in place by 2008, under which these countries would integrate with their neighbors in preparation for global integration — building good governance principles and institutional capacities in the process. As long as the EU keeps its markets open and removes barriers to exports from these countries, the ACP nations can grow and develop at a faster rate.
The EU and its member countries together pay approximately $30 billion in public aid annually, mostly in the form of non-repayable grants to developing countries, with about $6 billion channeled through the EU itself. The Union hoped to raise this figure to $39 billion by the end of 2006. The EU's target is to allocate approximately 0.7% of GNP annually for development aid; however, only Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg have achieved this target. Most EU aid takes the form of non-repayable grants, though soft loans and investment capital are also provided through the European Investment Bank (EIB). (Overview of the European Union Activities: Development)
The EU has funded numerous projects in developing countries, and even small amounts of aid can yield tremendous benefits. For example, silk weavers in Cambodia were trained and provided basic equipment to start small-scale industries. Traders in Peru were helped to export more goods, farmers in Namibia were granted aid to start businesses, a business venture in Senegal received financing to improve the quality of its products, and farmers in Egypt received technical expertise to combat a pest threatening their potato crops. These examples illustrate how EU grants to developing countries have meaningfully improved the lives of the poor. (Overview of the European Union Activities: Development)
Spain is a kingdom located in the southwest of Europe, bordering France and Andorra. It comprises several islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, small cities in northern Africa, and islands in the Strait of Gibraltar. Spain joined the European Union in 1986. Today, a state may join the EU only if it fulfills the Copenhagen Criteria, formally established in 1993 following an EU convention held in Copenhagen. A candidate state must demonstrate stability and firm commitment to democracy, human rights, and related values. (Spain) Once Spain was found to meet all these criteria, it was admitted as a full member.
When the European Union funds a project, the money is not paid directly by the European Commission but by the national and regional authorities of the various member states. Most grants paid under the Common Agricultural Policy are handled this way, as are payments under the structural policy financial instruments — including the European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, and the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund. These form the bulk of EU funding grants. Direct grants are also sometimes offered to specific beneficiaries such as universities, NGOs, and interest groups for research in areas like education and training, environmental protection, and consumer welfare. (Structural Funds)
Among the various structural funds, "Objective 1" was particularly important for Spain and was labeled "Programs under Objectives 1 and 2 for the Programming Period 2000 to 2006." Under the general objectives of this plan, economic and social cohesion are the primary aims so that structural imbalances in specific regions can be corrected. Objective 1 targeted regions that were lagging behind economically, while Objective 2 addressed areas undergoing economic or social change — whether due to declining rural areas, industrial restructuring, urban adjustment difficulties, or crises in sectors such as fisheries. (Structural Funds)
The actions recommended under Objectives 1 and 2 included financial aid for investments dedicated to creating or maintaining jobs; grants for developing infrastructure in areas such as transport, telecommunications, and energy; renovation of run-down rural areas; diversification of economic activities; revitalization measures; support for local small and medium enterprises; improved access to financing and credit; and direct investment aid. (Structural Funds)
Cohesion Funds are granted to states lagging in economic development in areas such as transport and the environment, to support their integration into the Economic and Monetary Union. These funds are used for projects in environmental maintenance and transportation, with public or private authorities responsible for carrying out the projects as the primary beneficiaries. (Cohesion Funds) Objective 1 and 2 interventions, structural funds, and cohesion funds have all had a tremendous impact on the economic and regional development of Spain.
In the area of employment, one significant grant provides information and training for workers' organizations, encompassing the activities of the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), the European Trade Union College, and the European Center for Workers' Questions. The activities associated with this grant include preparatory surveys and research, preparation of seminar and meeting materials, organization of conferences, and the creation of databases and networks. Primary beneficiaries are European social partners' organizations and regional, local, or national partners representing workers' interests. (Employment)
Another employment-related grant supports "National Awareness Raising Actions on Social Inclusion." Under this grant, organizations that propose specific actions to raise awareness among EU member country populations about poverty and social exclusion — and that develop plans to address these conditions — are eligible for funding. The grant encourages broader public understanding of extreme poverty and social exclusion, whether or not these conditions are directly caused by poverty. (Employment)
In education, the EC–U.S. Program for Cooperation in Higher Education and Vocational Training aims at fostering cooperative efforts with the United States and Canada in higher education and vocational training. Universities and vocational institutes benefit from these grants by engaging in joint projects with U.S. and Canadian counterparts to improve their educational and vocational methods. The related "Enhancing EU-Related Activities in Canadian Universities" grant promotes understanding of European integration and EU–Canada relations at both regional and national levels through seminars, lectures, workshops, and research projects.
The grant awarded to the European Union Institute in Japan aims to develop it into a center of academic excellence while broadening the EU's research base in Japan. Toward this end, regular meetings, conferences, seminars, and workshops between EU members and Japanese counterparts are organized. The "Jean Monnet Project: European Integration in University Studies" grant eases European studies into universities through start-up subsidies, and the Pilot Cooperation Project in Higher Education creates a framework for two-way student exchange and mobility programs. (EC–U.S. Program for Cooperation in the field of higher education and vocational education and training / EC–Canada Program for Cooperation in the field of higher education and training)
Several grants also support improvements in transport and road safety. The European Commission grants these funds to fulfill general objectives of transport policy and to address energy and transport management. Studies and campaigns are conducted in EU member states, candidate countries, and the European Economic Area. Specific areas addressed under road safety grants include user behavior — such as enforcement of road rules, driver training standards, physical and mental fitness checks, impaired driving controls, seat belt compliance, and child safety measures. Specialized vehicle technologies, roadworthiness testing, and overall vehicle safety also fall under this grant. (Transport)
"EU gender equality and education community policies"
"Euro launch and Spain's monetary transition"
"EU expansion and benefits for Spain"
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