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Video recap: State of Romania
11 December 2024
On 16-18 September 2024 leaders from all over the continent who share the vision of an enlarged Europe gather in Warsaw to join the Europe Future Forum 2024. During the conference, representatives of governments, experts and civil society leaders exchange expectations and promote future policy-oriented discussions on EU enlargement and European security. The overarching themes of the discussion focus on:
- Benefits of the EU Enlargement or the Unintended Consequences of Non-Enlargement: Discuss the potential advantages of expanding the EU, such as economic growth, political stability and enhanced regional cooperation. Conversely, explore the possible drawbacks of not enlarging, including the risk of geopolitical instability or the marginalisation of certain regions.
- Enlargement and Digital Facilitation: Examine how EU enlargement could foster digital innovation and integration, facilitating cross-border digital services and enhancing the digital economy. Consider the role of digital infrastructure in supporting the enlargement process.
- Enlargement and Security: Address the security implications of EU enlargement, including the potential for enhanced collective security measures, border management and cooperation in areas such as cyber security and defence.
This year’s edition foreshadows an opening of the project’s new format and is a by-invitation-only strategic foresight conference that serves as a platform to inform the forthcoming Polish EU Council presidency. Visegrad Insight in consultation with the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs aims to elevate Europe-centred policy debate in Poland, across the CEE region and all member states. The programme of the Forum revolves around the prospects of future EU enlargement and the possible costs of missed opportunities. It follows up on our foresight project entitled “Costs of Non-Enlargement”.
Next to the political, diplomatic and business leaders, the Forum gathers the most important policy analysis and advocacy groups from Europe who are relevant to the topic and related areas of the EU Strategic Agenda. The event holds on-the-record plenary conversations and off-the-record parallel foresight seminars where policy directors from the Polish government will benefit from the exchange with the best minds from the think-tank community.
The Forum is also an opportunity to discuss the multifaceted issues which will be of strategic importance in the coming years. It is high time we perceive enlargement through the lens of future security architecture and not just in the immediate war-setting in Ukraine. Most importantly, Europe cannot afford another enlargement failure. It would render Europe weaker, more vulnerable and resource-depleted, making one of the EU’s most influential foreign policy tools moot for decades.
2024 edition of the Europe Future Forum:
- Features around 50 high-level discussants and participants to join intense foresight sessions;
- Welcomes EU Sherpas, their advisors, policy experts and civil society leaders;
- All together 150 like-minded participants, primarily from EU countries and candidate countries;
- Involves working lunches and dinners, bilateral consultations and media interviews;
- Presents the Polish perspective in the context of CEE;
- Prepares the ground for a 2025 conference to become one of the key events during the EU Council Presidency of Poland.
The conference is co-funded with an International Visegrad Fund grant as a strategic conference of the Polish MFA. The reception is supported by Meta (Platinium Partner), and we would like to thank our Silver Partners: Central Media Group and Oriens for the support of panels.
Conference official website: EuropeFuture.Forum
