The geopolitical shifts following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have brought EU enlargement back on the agenda of policymakers in Brussels and the member states. The opening up of the membership path for Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia has stimulated policy debates on how to effectively integrate more countries into the Union. In this context, the year 2030 has been proposed as a potential target date for the next enlargement round. The annual EU Enlargement Package, which is expected to be adopted by the European Commission on November 8, aims to deliver a new strategy for the stagnating accession process.
At this timely public event, we will discuss how the new momentum driven by Ukraine impacts the “old candidate countries” in the Western Balkans. Geopolitical “gray zones” and ambiguous security situations on the EU’s external borders are interlinked and should be discussed together. We will explore how the German government – as a leading actor and partner in this region – can support transformation and much delayed progress toward EU membership while keeping its focus on the priority of Ukraine.
Speakers:
Knut Abraham, MP, Christian Democratic Union (CDU), German Bundestag
Nicole Koenig, Head of Policy, Munich Security Conference
Zoran Nechev, Associate Fellow, DGAP; Head of the Center for EU Integration, Institute for Democracy Societas Civilis – Skopje (IDSCS)
Milan Nič, Senior Fellow, Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, DGAP
Moderator:
Stefan Meister, Head of the Center for Order and Governance in Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia, DGAP
The event will be held in English. Please register here: events@dgap.org.
For any questions, please contact Yulia Loeva (events@dgap.org).