EU Enlargement and the Call for Reform: What’s in it for the Baltics?

Baltic Initiative on European Reform kindly invites you to join us for our upcoming event, titled "EU Enlargement and the Call for Reform: What’s in it for the Baltics?," set to take on October 19,  2023, 18:00 at the National Library of Latvia.

The Baltic States have undergone significant transformations since their accession to the EU in 2004. During this period, their democratic institutions have notably strengthened, and their economies have experienced positive transformations. Presently, the Baltic States are staunch supporters of Ukraine's aspirations for EU membership. Nevertheless, their level of involvement in broader European discussion concerning the prerequisites for enlargement remains comparatively limited.

On the topic of EU reform, the Baltic States are aligned with Central European and Nordic Member States, which have expressed reservations regarding proposals for increased political cohesion in areas such as foreign policy, security, and budgetary matters. Conversely, proponents of EU reform argue that such changes are imperative to bolster the EU's resilience against emerging geopolitical challenges.

How do we break this political deadlock? What role should the Baltic States play in making the next EU enlargement a reality? These are the questions we'll be diving into during this panel discussion.

SPEAKERS:

• Ian Bond, Centre for European Reform

• Justinas Mickus, Senior Policy Analyst, STRATA

• Etienne Ranaivoson, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France

• Jānis Bērziņš, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia

Moderator: Marija Golubeva, Baltic Initiative on European Reform

The registration deadline is October 15, 2023.

Register here: https://forms.gle/6vTGwK5q4RNkZo1z8

The event is supported by the Embassy of France