Portugal–Spain border disputed between the two countries for two hundred years. A microstate existed previously on the border called Couto Misto. Districts on the Portuguese side of the border from North to South: Provinces on the Spanish side of the border from North to South: Portugal and Spain signed the Schengen Agreement in June 1991 which came into effect on 26 March 1995, making Portugal and Spain part of the Schengen area and thus the border then became an Open border. Portugal has since reintroduced border checks several times along the border with Spain, during the UEFA Euro 2004 championships, during the
Portugal and occupation. On 26 March 1995, Portugal started to implement Schengen Area rules, eliminating border controls with other Schengen members while simultaneously strengthening border controls with non-member states. In 1996 the country was a co-founder of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) headquartered in Lisbon. Expo '98 took place in Portugal and in 1999 it was one of the founding countries of the euro and the eurozone. On 5 July 2004, José Manuel Barroso, then Prime Minister of Portugal, was nominated President of the European Commission, the most powerful office in the European Union. On 1 December 2009, the