The Egmont Institute is organizing the launching event of the REWEU Project, dedicated to the Commemoration of the 2004 EU enlargement as a milestone in the European integration process.

First of a series, this public event seeks to increase awareness among citizens about the benefits of the enlargement and their shared history. It will be initiated by a celebratory opening keynote speech, followed by two panel discussions.

The first panel will explore the costs of non-enlargement based on a study conducted by members of the organizing consortium. The speakers of the second panel will bridge the commemoration with the Commission’s Communication on pre-enlargement reforms issued in March 2024.

Programme:

13:45-14:10 Welcoming coffee and Registrations

14.00 – Jean-Louis De Brouwer Welcoming participants and introduction of the keynote and the panels

14:10 – 14:30 Opening Keynote Speech: Celebration of the 2004 Enlargement 

• Danuta Huebner, Member of the European Parliament

14:30 – 15:30 Panel I: The Costs of non-Enlargement study by the REWEU consortium

• Moderator: Melchior Szczepanik, Head of Brussels Office, Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM)
• Jana Juzová, Senior Research Fellow, Head of the Global Europe Programme at EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy
• Ioannis Armakolas, Senior Research Fellow, Head South-East Europe Program, Hellenic Foundation for European & Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)
• Maria Åsenius, Advisor Economic Development, DG NEAR, European Commission

15:30 – 16:00 Coffee Break

16:00- 17:00 Panel II: The way ahead: from pre-enlargement reforms to the roadmap 

• Moderator: François Roux, Senior Associate Fellow, Egmont Institute
• Frank Arnauts, Senior Coordinator for the Future of Europe, EU Strategic Foresight, Open Strategic Autonomy and Energy/Resources Security, Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Jean Charles Van Eeckaute, Head of Unit- Deputy to the Director, Secretariat General, European Commission
• Maryna Yaroshevych, Deputy Director of Foreign Policy Council “Ukrainian Prism” Europe

17:00 Concluding remarks and launching of REWEU future events 

This is an in-person event.

(Photo credit: European commission, wikimedia commons)