EU enlargement

On the 3rd of October, Think Visegrad in Brussels, represented by the Brussels Office of EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, organized a discussion titled "Transforming words into action. How to keep current momentum in EU enlargement?". Experts from think tanks, diplomatic missions and EU institutions dwelled into the renewed focus on EU enlargement, including the initiation of accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, the formulation of new strategies and financial incentives for candidate states, and reinforced commitments from the EU. The key challenge moving forward is ensuring that this momentum is sustained and translated into concrete, transformative actions that deliver measurable results.

The contrast between the old and the new is visible in the streets of Chișinău. Brutalist skyscrapers stand next to places like the Digital Park, a technological hub and symbol of the desire for the modern and innovative. This contrast is also deeply rooted in the political debate about Moldova's identity and future. EUROPEUM Institute analyst Jana Faktor Juzová commented for RTS Serbia.

Moldova is rushing to the EU, but how fast? Can it stumble? Sunday sees a referendum on enshrining EU membership in the constitution and the first round of presidential elections, in which the pro-EU Maia Sandu will again stake her mandate. There is a long way to go behind these elections. EUROPEUM analyst Jana Faktor Juzová commented for Courrier des Balkans.

On September 12th, EUROPEUM’s Brussels Office organized a public conference titled “Making enlargement work again: Supporting Western Balkans through the experiences of Central and Eastern Europe”. Following a keynote speech by H.E. Bálint Ódor, the panel discussions dwelled on the 2004 enlargement, its impacts on the EU and the lessons learned from the process through the perspective of current EU accession of the countries of Western Balkans.

On September 26th, EUROPEUM’s Brussels Office organized an expert discussion titled “Ukraine’s EU membership: an economic challenge or an opportunity?” The debate focused on the potential economic impacts of Ukraine’s accession to the Union, including the EU budget, sectoral policies, energy or critical raw materials. It also evaluated the opportunities for Central European countries and their private sector to strengthen the ties between the two regions. Read the full report below.

Representatives from France, Italy and Spain have won key positions in the new European Commission. Strong portfolios for politicians from Slovakia and Poland may come as a surprise. Martin Vokálek, Executive Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Seznam Zprávy.

The prospect of EU enlargement by the end of the mandate of the future European Commission looks more optimistic than at any time in the last decade. And barring the full membership of one new state, it is realistic to expect that at least one country will have concluded membership negotiations by the end of this decade and is just waiting for an acceptance date. Jana Juzová, a senior research fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, commented for Radio Slobodna Evropa.

The European Union has initiated accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova. This decision was preceded by two years of negotiations. The accession process is expected to take several years. Jana Juzová, a senior researcher at the EUROPEUM Institute, commented on the topic for Evening News on Czech Television.

The European Union has initiated accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova. What does this mean for its inhabitants? How do the accession talks proceed? And what must the countries fulfill? Jana Juzová, a senior researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, comments for Slovak RTVS Television.

In Luxembourg, formal accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova to the European Union have begun. Is this a significant progress towards their eventual EU membership? Which of these two countries has a stronger position? And how does the screening process unfold? Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, discussed these topics for TN.cz.

How can the EU enlargement process regain its lost momentum? And how can we learn from previous rounds of enlargement? These questions are answered by a group of authors together with EUROPEUM Institute senior researcher Jana Juzová in a new publication within the REWEU project.

The second day of the Prague European Summit 2024 conference at the Czernin Palace was opened with a speech by Czech Minister for European Affairs Martin Dvořák. He thinks of the enlargement of the European Union as crucial. "We have to realize that the enlargement of the EU, our defense and security and the current Central European position are interconnected," he said.