King Felipe of Spain marked 40 years since Spain joined the European Union with a visit to the European Parliament.
The King arrived alongside the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, who is celebrating the same event for Portugal. King Felipe was greeted by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, before going through an honour guard on his way to give a speech. A minute of silence was held for the victims of the train accident in Spain ahead of the speech.
He said, “Forty years ago, Spain and Portugal took their place in the European family, opening a chapter of freedom and opportunity that changed lives. In turn, they have helped shape Europe in lasting ways. That shared journey reminds us that Europe is always a work in progress. It was never built to stand still, and together we will keep building a Union ready for the next forty years.”
With a nod to recent events, he added, “never as in these dark times, has the idea of Europe been so necessary.” The King described the EU as “a project of coexistence that has made us all freer, more prosperous, and even stronger”, and warned that any phenomenon that affects one part of the EU affects us all, underlining that “our strength is our unity.”
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