The paper addresses the domestic impact of the freezing of the Greek association with the EEC on business-government relations during the colonels' dictatorship in Greece (1967-74).Focusing on the Federation of Greek Industries (SEV), I argue that in the face of the Europeanisation of Greek industry, Greek business embarked upon a strategy prioritising liberalisation as a means towards rapprochement with the EEC. But this strategy was not part of a pro-democracy agenda. On the contrary, seeking a viable political regime and future accession to the EEC, SEV supported an abortive authoritarian transition to electoral politics in 1973.