Several EU member states enjoy long-standing political and economic links with Latin America. In fact, it was in the 1960s and 1970s that the EU first began expanding its ties to the region through a series of diplomatic initiatives and agreements aimed at promoting democracy, addressing development issues, and boosting trade and investment. Moreover, the EU actively worked for peace in the troubled Central American region in the 1980s. In the meantime, the accession in 1986 of Spain and Portugal to the EU further strengthened region-to- region ties. EU engagement in Latin America increased during the 1990s as a formal political dialogue was put in place to advance issues of common interest, including how the EU and Latin America together can act in concert with other nations and international organizations to address global issues and challenges.