In 1975, however, East Germany signed up to the Helsinki Accords, a pan-European treaty to improve relations between the countries of Europe.[118] An increasing number of East German citizens sought to use the Accords' provision on freedom of movement to secure exit visas. By the late 1980s, over 100,000 applications for visas were being submitted annually with around 15,000–25,000 being granted.[119][120]