— The exhibition is organised by Fundación Galicia Europa within the framework of the Galician presidency of the Spanish delegation in the European Committee of the Regions

— It offers a visual journey through the projects that have transformed Spain over these 40 years thanks to the support of European funds

Brussels, 24 March 2026. The European Committee of the Regions hosted today the opening of the photographic exhibition “From accession to cohesion. Spain in images ”, an exhibition that commemorates the 40th anniversary of Spain’s entry into the European Union through a visual journey of the projects that have transformed the country thanks to the support of European funds.

The exhibition, organised by Fundación Galicia Europa within the framework of the Galician presidency of the Spanish delegation in the Committee of the Regions, brings together a total of 19 projects represented in 17 images —one for each autonomous community— and two additional ones from local entities. The exhibition offers a view of the impact of cohesion policy on people’s lives in areas such as innovation, sustainability, transport or the modernisation of infrastructure.

Cohesion, a central pillar of the European project

Under the title “From accession to cohesion”, the exhibition proposes a reflection on the path travelled by Spain since its integration into the EU, highlighting how European cooperation has contributed to the country’s economic, social and territorial development.

The event featured speeches by the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Kata Tüttő; the Director-General for Regional and Urban Policy at the European Commission, Themis Christophidou, and the Secretary of State for the European Union, Fernando Sampedro Marcos. At a time when cohesion policy is being questioned in view of the future EU budget, all of them highlighted the importance of structural funds in the modernisation of Spain and the success that this policy represents for the European integration project.

This was also highlighted by the director of the Brussels office of Fundación Galicia Europa, Ana Ramos: “From the beginning, with Spain’s accession to the European Union, our regions assumed a fundamental role in the management of cohesion policy, a key instrument to advance towards economic convergence and the single market”.

The exhibition focuses on the concept of cohesion as a central element of the European project: ensuring that development reaches all territories and that none are left behind, while inviting reflection on the future of a Europe that must continue investing in people and territories.