Right in between the tail of the presidential race and the head of the parliamentary elections, our WB2EU 4th Ideas go public Lab will focus on the general politics of enlargement in France. The Russian aggression on Ukraine has rekindled a movement of solidarity and mobilisation akin to those of 1956 for Hungary, 1968 for Prague, or the 1980s for Poland. The reconfirmation for Ukraine of its European destiny in the face of war and its domino effect on Georgia and Moldova triggered a refreshed interest in the French public and political spectrum for the EU’s enlargement goals and processes. In this regard, we found it relevant to reflect on what this novel context could mean for the Balkans’ path into the EU. And the associated political narratives and plays.
Following the usual pattern, the Ideas go public Lab will have an afternoon specialist round table, an evening public event – followed by a formal get together – and a WB2EU Network meeting for debriefing and reflecting on the next steps in the framework of the project.
So, the WB2EU 4th Ideas go public Lab will serve the following purpose:
- To have an intensive debate about the general politics of enlargement in France and the EU’s enlargement goals and processes
- To reflect on what the latest developments in Europe mean for the Balkans’ path into the EU
- To have an exchange with political stakeholders and further establish an academia-policy-politics alliance around the project
- Debriefing, discussion and reflecting on the WB2EU Network’s next steps
PROGRAMME
Day 1: 19 May (Thursday)
16.00–16.30: Coffee reception
16.30–18.30: Round table discussion (closed session)
Venue: EuropaNova premises, 64bis av. de New Yok, 75016 Paris
The Western Balkans EU accession process in a French perspective
Speakers:
Julien Arnoult, EuropaNova
Clotilde Warin, European Affairs expert, French MFA, Centre d’Analyse, de Prévision et de Stratégie
Krisela Hackaj, Executive Director, Cooperation and Development Institute (Tirana), WB2EU Network
Moderated by Elise Bernard, EuropaNova, WB2EU Network
Featuring academic experts and students, institutional stakeholders and opinion leaders.
18.00–18.30: Q&A
Partners invited to the discussion: Institut Montaigne, ECFR-French office, Heinrich Böll Stiftung Paris, Fondation Jean-Jaurès, Fondapol, Groupe d’Etudes Géopolitiques, diplomatic circles in Paris. Bearing in mind the possible changes in the institutions after the April presidential election, the cabinet of the French president and the Secretary for European Affairs will be represented.
Media partners invited to the discussion: La Croix, Ouest-France (press), Radio France, Euradio (radio), AFP (agency).
18.30–19.00: Break
19.00–20.30: Public debate (livestreaming will be provided)
Venue: EuropaNova premises, 64bis av. de New Yok, 75016 Paris
The path to the EU – how the war in Ukraine has reopened the case for enlargement
Welcome: Edouard Gaudot, EuropaNova, WB2EU Network
Keynote speech: André Gattolin, French Senator LREM, Vice-chair of European Affairs
Discussants:
Tineke Strik, Dutch MEP Greens EFA (video message)
Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield, French MEP Greens EFA
Nebojsa Vukadinovic, Expert for the European Commission on pre-accession funds
Oana Popescu-Zamfir, Director, GlobalFocus Center (Bucharest), WB2EU Network
Moderated by Paul Schmidt, General Secretary, Austrian Society for European Politics, WB2EU Network
Concluding remarks: Elise Bernard, EuropaNova, WB2EU Network
Registration and livestreaming (for the public debate):
On-site registration: anna.lelkes@europanova.eu
Distance registration via Zoom
Twitter & Facebook & YouTube
21.00: Dinner
Video message by Tineke Strik, Dutch MEP Greens EFA (19 May)
Day 2: 20 May (Friday)
09.30–11.30: WB2EU network meeting (closed session)
Debriefing, discussion and reflecting on the next steps
Venue: French Senate, 15 rue de Vaugirard, 75006 Paris
11.30–12.30: Visit of the Senate
13.30: Lunch reception and discussion in the Austrian Embassy
Venue: 6 rue Fabert, 75007 Paris
In cooperation with:
Picture gallery 4th Ideas go public Lab – Day 1: The Western Balkans EU accession process in a French perspective (Round-table, 19 May, EuropaNova premises)
Panel from left to right: Julien Arnoult, Clotilde Warin, Krisela Hackaj
Moderated by Elise Bernard
© WB2EU / Photos: Susan Milford-Faber
Picture gallery 4th Ideas go public Lab – Day 1: The path to the EU – how the war in Ukraine has reopened the case for enlargement (Public debate, 19 May, EuropaNova premises)
Welcome: Edouard Gaudot
Panel from left to right: Paul Schmidt (moderator), Oana Popescu-Zamfir, Nebojsa Vukadinovic, Gwendoline Delbos-Corfield
Closing remarks: Elise Bernard
© WB2EU / Photos: Susan Milford-Faber
Picture gallery 4th Ideas go public Lab – Day 2: WB2EU Network meeting (closed session) in the French Senate (20 May)
© WB2EU / Photos: Susan Milford-Faber & Alice Lojić
Picture gallery 4th Ideas go public Lab – Day 2: Visit of the French Senate (20 May)
© WB2EU / Photos: Susan Milford-Faber
Picture gallery 4th Ideas go public Lab – Day 2: Lunch Reception at the Austrian Embassy (20 May)
© WB2EU / Photos: Susan Milford-Faber
