Forty years ago today, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Accession to the European Communities.

On that 12 June 1985, the will to become an active part of the European project materialised, which was synonymous for the young Iberian democracies with the homologation of neighbouring political traditions and to assume the common objective of peace, democracy, freedom and shared progress.

This was the beginning of a period of transformations at all levels that have changed the face of our territories, our institutions and rules, and of the citizens themselves, who are now much more diverse and have an undeniable sense of belonging to Europe.

Investments in infrastructures have transformed the country, European law is our own standard, either directly or by transposition, and our currency is the euro, common to 20 countries. Europe is the natural space for knowledge, research or universities, for labour or citizen mobility, for exports or trade. European integration has been key to the development of social rights and economic welfare, to a more open and competitive economy, but also to the strengthening of democracy.

In a multipolar world, increasingly interconnected and uncertain, the geopolitics behind the great global challenges, be it energy, technology or security, makes it more necessary than ever for our project to be the European project, more politically united and economically stronger, instead of claiming the national path that leads to isolation and impoverishment.

To remember 12 June 1985 is also to strengthen our commitment to political participation from Catalonia in this shared project. The vindication of Catalan as a recognised European language, leadership with the four driving forces, cooperation with the Euroregion and solidarity with the two shores of the Mediterranean, which is the sea that unites us and not the one that separates us, are all part of our way of being European, just as Europe is our way of being Catalan.

We have many duties pending.

Europe's commitment to peace was not up to the task of dealing with the genocide in Srebrenica, which we are now commemorating thirty years on, nor is it up to the task of dealing with the current crimes against the people of Gaza.

Competitiveness has a pending agenda with the European pillar of social rights and threatens the commitment to the fight against the climate emergency; cohesion between member states has led to more regional and internal territorial inequality and the debate on defence policy is being addressed in the European framework, but without allowing a common and, therefore, agreed, transparent and controlled policy to take place.

For all these reasons, we claim 40 YEARS OF COMMON WAY, and at the same time we commit ourselves to continue betting decisively, critically and democratically for Europe.40 years ago today, Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Accession to the European Communities.