During the 1970s, the relationship between the European Economic Community (EEC) and Yugoslavia was characterised by a paradox: the development of bilateral relations did not lead to the progressive integration between the parties, but to Yugoslavia’s definitive separation from the EEC. Drawing on a wide range of Community, French, British, German, Italian and Yugoslav archival sources, this article addresses the political factors which constrained this relationship and obliged the EEC and Yugoslavia to keep a "forced distance".
Keywords: EEC; Yugoslavia; Mediterranean; Soviet Union; Southern Europe; Non-alignment