▁French ▁Al ger ia ▁had ▁joined ▁the ▁European ▁Commun ities ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Republic ▁( since ▁leg ally ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁a ▁col ony ▁of ▁France , ▁but ▁rather ▁one ▁of ▁its ▁over se as ▁depart ments ). ▁Upon ▁independence ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁Al ger ia ▁left ▁France ▁and ▁thus ▁left ▁the ▁European ▁Commun ities . ▁ ▁Green land ▁ ▁Green land ▁chose ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁EU ▁prede cess or ▁without ▁also ▁se ced ing ▁from ▁a ▁member ▁state . ▁It ▁initially ▁voted ▁against ▁joining ▁the ▁E EC ▁when ▁Den mark ▁joined ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁but ▁because ▁Den mark ▁as ▁a ▁whole ▁voted ▁to ▁join , ▁Green land , ▁as ▁a ▁county ▁of ▁Den mark , ▁joined ▁too . ▁When ▁home ▁rule ▁for ▁Green land ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁it ▁held ▁a ▁new ▁refer endum ▁and ▁voted ▁to ▁leave ▁the ▁E EC . ▁After ▁wr ang ling ▁over ▁fish ing ▁rights , ▁the ▁territory ▁left ▁the ▁E EC ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁but ▁remains ▁subject ▁to ▁the ▁EU ▁treat ies ▁through ▁association ▁of ▁O verse as ▁Count ries ▁and ▁Territ ories ▁with ▁the ▁EU . ▁This ▁was ▁permitted ▁by ▁the ▁Green land ▁Tre aty , ▁a ▁special ▁treat y ▁signed ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁to ▁allow ▁its ▁withdraw al . ▁ ▁Saint ▁Bar th é le my ▁Saint ▁Martin ▁and ▁Saint - Bar th é le my ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁se