Portugal was the first recipient of the European Union’s (EU) pre-accession assistance fund, which was specifically designed to support economic development in the context of the Iberian accession negotiations. This chapter examines the negotiation process, implementation, and outcomes of the European Economic Community (EEC) pre-accession aid fund in Portugal between 1978 and 1993, with particular focus on projects carried out under the framework of joint actions. It demonstrates how the implementation of this fund served as Portugal’s first experience managing EU funds, an undertaking that posed various challenges for all actors involved, while also delivering tangible results, particularly in the modernization of the country’s infrastructures.