Portugal and Accession to the European Communities

As part of the 2026 European Heritage Days, the João Paulo II University Library is hosting the documentary exhibition “Portugal e a Adesão às Comunidades Europeias: Documentos do Fundo Ernâni Lopes”, inviting visitors to revisit one of the defining moments in Portugal’s contemporary history: the process that led to Portugal’s accession to the European Communities.

Through documentation from the Ernâni Lopes Fund, the exhibition explores Portugal’s accession process to the European Communities, from 1977, when the country formally applied for membership, to 1986, when it officially joined.

The documentary exhibition is open to the entire academic community and the general public, promoting free, inclusive and unrestricted access to documentary heritage, culture and knowledge.