Photo series
Spain assumed the Presidency of the EU Council on 1 July and will hold the position for the next six months. This photo series offers more information about the country, its role in the EU, and the programme of the Spanish Presidency.

The Spanish EU Presidency will be exercised under the motto "Europe, closer", which refers to the spirit of closer human, political, and institutional proximity. Spain's four priorities for the Presidency are the reindustrialisation of the EU, promoting ecological change, social and economic justice, and strengthening European unity.
Spain's Presidency of the European Union Council will be exercised in the form of a so-called trio Presidency with its successors Belgium and Hungary, each of which will preside for six months in succession. What is special about this is that the three states are presenting a joint programme and are able to represent each other in chairing specific Council meetings. This is the fifth time Spain has held the Presidency having held the position in the first half of 1989, 2002 and 2010, and in the second half in 1995. Spain joined the European Union on 1 January 1986.
Spain has had a turbulent history: the Arabian Moors took over the territory now known as Spain from the Visigoths in the 8th century. For centuries, Spanish culture was shaped by the Moors. The native Spanish only regained control over the entire territory in 1492, the same year when Christopher Columbus “discovered” America and Spain rose to become a global power. On the one hand, the colonisation of large parts of America made Spain very rich but on the other massacres and introduced diseases led to the near annihilation of the natives in the colonised countries.
During the 20th century, many changes took place in Spain and the rest of Europe. Spain did not take part in the First World War, however a civil war erupted in 1936 following a military putsch. General Francisco Franco emerged as the victor of this war in 1939 and went on to become dictator of Spain until his death in 1975. A process of democratisation initiated by King Juan Carlos I then ensued. The first post-dictatorship free elections were held in 1977. The Kingdom of Spain now functions as a parliamentary monarchy and is considered to be a stable democracy.
With a population of almost 47.6 million, the Kingdom of Spain is the fourth most populous country in the European Union whereby over 3 million people live in Madrid, the capital city. Spain has been part of the European Schengen area since 1995, which means that people from other EU Member States can enter the country without having to go through border controls. The country also joined the Eurozone in 1999.
The Kingdom of Spain is located in the southwest of Europe and shares borders with Andorra, France, Gibraltar, Morocco, and Portugal. It forms part of the Iberian Peninsula along with Portugal, Andorra, and Gibraltar and covers an area of just over 500,000 square kilometres. Spain's flora and fauna are extremely diverse due to the different climatic zones within the country. Indeed, the country is home to the most UNESCO-protected biosphere reserves, i.e., areas in which the ecological, economic, and social aspects of sustainable development are studied, in the world. The so-called Sagrada Familia, which has been under construction since 1882 and is still not finished, is probably the most famous building in Spain.
Spain is home to many peculiarities and traditions. In general, Spaniards are thought of as being extremely sociable. They also have a different daily rhythm due to the long afternoon "siesta". Spanish is one of the fastest spoken languages in the world. One of the best-known traditions in the country is bullfighting, which is both popular and controversial. Spain is one of the best-loved tourist destinations in the world: 72 million tourists visited the country in 2022. National dishes include tortilla, paella, and tapas.

The Spanish EU Presidency will be exercised under the motto "Europe, closer", which refers to the spirit of closer human, political, and institutional proximity. Spain's four priorities for the Presidency are the reindustrialisation of the EU, promoting ecological change, social and economic justice, and strengthening European unity.
Spain's Presidency of the European Union Council will be exercised in the form of a so-called trio Presidency with its successors Belgium and Hungary, each of which will preside for six months in succession. What is special about this is that the three states are presenting a joint programme and are able to represent each other in chairing specific Council meetings. This is the fifth time Spain has held the Presidency having held the position in the first half of 1989, 2002 and 2010, and in the second half in 1995. Spain joined the European Union on 1 January 1986.
Spain has had a turbulent history: the Arabian Moors took over the territory now known as Spain from the Visigoths in the 8th century. For centuries, Spanish culture was shaped by the Moors. The native Spanish only regained control over the entire territory in 1492, the same year when Christopher Columbus “discovered” America and Spain rose to become a global power. On the one hand, the colonisation of large parts of America made Spain very rich but on the other massacres and introduced diseases led to the near annihilation of the natives in the colonised countries.
During the 20th century, many changes took place in Spain and the rest of Europe. Spain did not take part in the First World War, however a civil war erupted in 1936 following a military putsch. General Francisco Franco emerged as the victor of this war in 1939 and went on to become dictator of Spain until his death in 1975. A process of democratisation initiated by King Juan Carlos I then ensued. The first post-dictatorship free elections were held in 1977. The Kingdom of Spain now functions as a parliamentary monarchy and is considered to be a stable democracy.
With a population of almost 47.6 million, the Kingdom of Spain is the fourth most populous country in the European Union whereby over 3 million people live in Madrid, the capital city. Spain has been part of the European Schengen area since 1995, which means that people from other EU Member States can enter the country without having to go through border controls. The country also joined the Eurozone in 1999.
The Kingdom of Spain is located in the southwest of Europe and shares borders with Andorra, France, Gibraltar, Morocco, and Portugal. It forms part of the Iberian Peninsula along with Portugal, Andorra, and Gibraltar and covers an area of just over 500,000 square kilometres. Spain's flora and fauna are extremely diverse due to the different climatic zones within the country. Indeed, the country is home to the most UNESCO-protected biosphere reserves, i.e., areas in which the ecological, economic, and social aspects of sustainable development are studied, in the world. The so-called Sagrada Familia, which has been under construction since 1882 and is still not finished, is probably the most famous building in Spain.
Spain is home to many peculiarities and traditions. In general, Spaniards are thought of as being extremely sociable. They also have a different daily rhythm due to the long afternoon "siesta". Spanish is one of the fastest spoken languages in the world. One of the best-known traditions in the country is bullfighting, which is both popular and controversial. Spain is one of the best-loved tourist destinations in the world: 72 million tourists visited the country in 2022. National dishes include tortilla, paella, and tapas.