Western Balkans and the EU Enlargement Process: Main Challenges, Achievements and Expectations

Together with DG NEAR and Particip, we co-organise a panel discussion focused on the EU enlargement process in Western Balkans, its main achievements, challenges and expectations for the future.

The EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans has got a new impetus with the formal Bosnia and Herzegovina EU membership application, but the path of reforms needed does not meet higher expectations. Coupled with external challenges, several Western Balkans countries are risking stagnation in their reform processes.

How can the Western Balkans retain reform momentum and accelerate the accession and reform process? And how does the EU's absorption capacity match these reform processes?

This public panel discussion will strive to generate debate about the deeper ramifications of EU enlargement in relation to contemporary and future challenges, while providing a good opportunity to analyse and discuss the achievements andperspectives on the Western Balkans transition towards EU membership.

Speakers:

Michal Šimečka (Institute of International Relations Prague / Ústav mezinárodních vztahů)

Ksenija Milenković (Serbian European Integration Office / Канцеларија за европске интеграције Владе Републике Србије)

Moderator:

Christian Kvorning Lassen (EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy)

The discussion takes place on Tuesday 12th July at the European House, Jungmannova 24, from 14:00 to 17:00.

Please register at: http://bit.ly/westernbalkans by 11th July. Refreshments and catering will be provided.

Christian Kvorning Lassen
Deputy Director & Head of Research

Expertise: Migration/European migration crisis, EU foreign policy, Scandinavian politics, populism, EU enlargement policy