European vision Konstantinos Karamanlis

konstantinos karamanlis, cabinet deputy prime minister panagiotis kanellopoulos (front left) , german vice-chancellor ludwig erhard german/european delegation during visit erhard sign protocols of greece s treaty of association european economic community (eec) in 1961. paul-henri spaak second right (front row).

karamanlis 1958 pursued aggressive policy toward greek membership in eec. considered greece s entry eec personal dream because saw fulfillment of called greece s european destiny . lobbied european leaders, such germany s konrad adenauer , france s charles de gaulle followed 2 years of intense negotiations brussels. intense lobbying bore fruit , on 9 july 1961 government , europeans signed protocols of greece s treaty of association european economic community (eec). signing ceremony in athens attended top government delegations six-member bloc of germany, france, italy, belgium, luxemburg , netherlands, precursor of european union. economy minister aristidis protopapadakis , foreign minister evangelos averoff present. german vice-chancellor ludwig erhard , belgian foreign minister paul-henri spaak, european union pioneer , karlspreis winner karamanlis, among european delegates.

this had profound effect of ending greece s economic isolation , breaking political , economic dependence on economic , military aid, through nato. greece became first european country acquire status of associate member of eec outside 6 nation eec group. in november 1962 association treaty came effect , envisaged country s full membership @ eec 1984, after gradual elimination of greek tariffs on eec imports. financial protocol clause included in treaty provided loans greece subsidised community of $300 million between 1962 , 1972 increase competitiveness of greek economy in anticipation of greece s full membership. community s financial aid package protocol of accession suspended during 1967–74 junta years , greece expelled eec. well, during dictatorship, greece resigned membership in council of europe fearing embarrassing investigations council, following torture allegations.

soon after returning greece during metapolitefsi karamanlis reactivated push country s full eec membership in 1975 citing political , economic reasons. karamanlis convinced greece s membership in eec ensure political stability in nation having undergone transition dictatorship democracy.

karamanlis inspects plans building of eugenides planetarium, 1962

in may 1979 signed full treaty of accession. greece became tenth member of eec on 1 january 1981 3 years earlier original protocol envisioned , despite freezing of treaty of accession during junta (1967–1974).