accession agreements

in the law of the European Union agreements concluded between the communities and states that are not member states, usually, in their terms, 'with a view to membership'. They are not legally different from other agreements; it is the definition of their scope that gives them their significance. In some cases, such as those of Spain and Portugal, they were a means of gearing the applicant state as far as possible to the economic and infrastructure levels of the Communities. Some accession agreements have been moribund for a time but have later been resurrected, such as was the case of the agreement with the Hellenic Republic when democracy was considered as suspended in that state.

Sometimes described as 'an antechamber to membership', they are a useful way of dealing with the Communities' legal mechanism for accession. See also acquis communautaire.