Reflection Forum on the run-up to the Summit of Trieste on the Western Balkans
Second Reflection Forum took place in Trieste, Italy between 26th and 27th of June and convened a wide range of different experts working in national and European administrations and institutions, as well as researchers affiliated with European think-tanks and Universities in the EU and Western Balkans. Event was organized under the patronage of Italian MFA as a process leading to the next intergovernmental conference on the Western Balkans hosted by Italy in July, 2017.
Second reflection forum was dedicated to regional cooperation, where three areas of reflection have been identified: the resurgence of bilateral and regional tensions, the gap between regional cooperation in repressive and enabling security matters and the pitfalls of gendered models of economic development.
Speakers were not delivering their presentations ex-cathedra, but used a participatory and interactive approach, where debates were moderated by experienced experts. Platform was provided for interesting debates touching upon issues like what comes after the Berlin process, where ideas spurred around building on achievements so far, but also finding a more participatory, innovative and regional approach, since actions so far have not yet provided viable results. It was also stressed that following years are crucial for deciding what do we actually want from EU and who do we want to see in it, since influence of non-EU countries in the WB is increasing. Further on debate revolved around contribution of the WB to the EU, and discussing what the region could actually bring to the Europe. On the other side, participants from the WB remained less optimistic and argued there is no such thing as enlargement, which is according to them not happening, and new, innovative solutions will have to be implemented; while questions arose on what has actually gone wrong, since even years of democratization and EU integration have not brought the region onto the right path. Importance of investing into infrastructure and knowledge was stressed as a prerequisite for any further development of WB.
At the end of two-days event, CEP has together with the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a closing dinner in Portorož, Slovenia. Diner was opened by Mr Peter Grk, National Coordinator for Western Balkans at the Slovenian MFA, who stressed the importance of such events, where opinion can be exchanged and common solutions provided. He also stressed the importance of stability in the Western Balkans for stability of all Europe, and shortly presented what Slovenia does in the field.
Event was:
Organised by Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Rome; Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE), Nice/Berlin/Istanbul; Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (CFA), Vienna.
In cooperation with French Institute for International Relations (Ifri), Paris; Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Berlin; Austrian Institute for International Politics (Oiip), Vienna; European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Paris; Centre for European Perspective (CEP), Ljubljana; Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory (BiEPAG), Graz; Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso (OBC), Rovereto.
With the support of Central European Initiative (CEI); Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France; Federal Ministry for European, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria; Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany; Friedrich-Ebert Foundation (FES), Berlin/Sarajevo.
Reflection Forum on the run-up to the Summit of Trieste on the Western Balkans will convene the community of European experts working on Western Balkans’ EU integration to reflect on the challenges bedevilling the EU’s enlargement policy, once deemed the EU’s most successful foreign policy, and the contribution research can make to address these. Taking place on 26 – 27 June 2017 in Trieste, Italy, reflection forum will provide a platform for exchange of perspectives between experts working in national and European administrations and institutions as well as researchers affiliated to European think-tanks and universities in the EU and the Western Balkans.
This second reflection forum, dedicated to regional cooperation, will reflect on the enlargement and the Western Balkans among the policy community, the media and the general public. Three areas of reflection have been delineated: the resurgence of bilateral and regional tensions, the gap between regional cooperation in enabling security matters and the pitfalls of gendered models of economic development.
Speakers at the forum will not deliver their presentations ex cathedra but participate interactively in debates moderated by experienced experts. The reflection forum and reflection conference will set the basis for the elaboration of reflection papers, disseminated across the policy community. They will be followed up by a new series of outreach events (panel discussions), to be organised throughout the Western Balkans as well as in the Berlin Process countries in autumn and spring 2017-2018.
Centre for European Perspective is co-hosting one dinner in Portorož, Slovenia with the Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The welcoming address will be delivered by Peter Grk, National Coordinator for Western Balkans at Slovenian MFA and Darja Bavdaž Kuret, State Secretary of Slovenian MFA.
Background of the Reflection Forum initiative
In 2014, in the wake of the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, the Federal Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, initiated an intergovernmental process with the countries of the Western Balkans (the so-called Berlin Process). Its aim is to improve cooperation throughout the region, put “fundamentals first”, and thereby reinvigorate European integration. The first conference, organised in Berlin, was followed by a second one in Vienna in 2015 and a third one in Paris in 2016. A fourth conference will be convened by Italy in 2017, before the process expectedly ends one year later, in 2018, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI.
In order to encourage a European dialogue amongst think tanks and academic institutions on the Western Balkans and their European perspective, the CIFE, CFA, IAI and IFRI, together with other institutions, including CEP, launched in 2015 an initiative that culminated with the organisation of a “reflection forum” on the Western Balkans in May 2016 in Paris. The reflection forum took place in the run-up to the conference on the Western Balkans hosted by President François Hollande on 4 July 2016. It created an open platform of exchange for more than 80 key experts coming from all over Europe. This first reflection forum addressed some of the topical challenges the EU and Western Balkan countries face, from socio-economic convergence or migration security to democratisation or geopolitics. In the weeks following the event, an expert report was elaborated in cooperation with the EUISS and transmitted to French authorities before the Paris Conference of July 2016. In the following months, a series of outreach events (panel discussions) were organised throughout the Western Balkans in order to nourish the reflection initiated in Paris on the European politics and EU enlargement.
This process of reflection and think tank mobilisation will be continued throughout 2017. On 5th April, a high-level reflection conference, organised under the patronage of the Italian MFA, started the process leading to the second edition of the reflection forum, organised on 26-27th June 2017, in the run-up to the next intergovernmental conference on the Western Balkans hosted by Italy in July 2017.
Organizers and supporters
Reflection forum is organised and supported by Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE), Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (CFA), French Institute for International Relations (Ifri), Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), Austrian Institute for International Politics (Oiip), European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory (BiEPAG), Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso (OBC), Central European Initiative (CEI), Regione Autonoma Friuli Venezia Giulia, MIB Trieste School of Management, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of France, Federal Ministry for European, Integration and Foreign Affairs of Austria, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Friedrich-Ebert Foundation (FES), and Centre for European Perspective (CEP).
CEP together with the leading EU think-tanks organised a round table “Perspectives for the Western Balkans in the European Union” 28 March in Ljubljana, following a preparatory meeting for the Reflection Forum event to be held in Trieste 26-27 June 2017.
The round table is now available online, watch it on the link below:
CEP together with the leading EU think-tanks organised a round table “Perspectives for the Western Balkans in the European Union” 28 March in Ljubljana, following a preparatory meeting for the Reflection Forum event to be held in Trieste 26-27 June 2017.
Round table discussion was part of a series of events within a ‘Reflection Forum’ initiative, which aims to discuss the relevance of a European dialogue of research and policy institutions on issues related to the Western Balkans and their European integration in the run-up to the Conference of Heads of State and Government from the Western Balkans countries in Italy as part of the Berlin Process. The first conference in Berlin was followed by a second one in Vienna in 2015, third one in Paris in 2016 whereas fourth one will be held in Trieste 12 July 2017.
Following speakers shared their views regarding Western Balkans and the EU:
• Peter Grk, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ljubljana
• Zoran Nechev, EU ISS, Paris
• Eleonora Poli, IAI, Rome
• Florent Marciacq, Franco-Austrian Centre (CFA), Vienna
Moderator: Tobias Flessenkemper, CIFE, Nice
Event addressed questions like what is left after Rome declaration in terms of the enlargement, where do the Western Balkan countries stand today in terms of the accession process and their progress, whether the enlargement could serve as an inspiration to EU in order to stand together more firmly, especially in current atmosphere with refugee crisis and Brexit. Further on debate addressed the expectations from the member states, Slovenian, German and Italian perspective, outcomes of the Berlin process so far and the final goals of it.
Interesting questions serving as a basis for further discussion were posed, asking whether the EU is just pretending to be enlarging while the Balkans are pretending to be reforming and what are the alternatives to the EU.
Round table concluded with a fruitful discussion with various questions from the audience, while all the panellists agreed that we need to keep in mind all the challenges, but also serve as an example to the Western Balkan countries and find ways to keep them inspired for changes and trespassing borders, while a structural change of all parts of the society will be needed there.
CEP kindly invites you to a round table discussion “Perspectives for the Western Balkans in the European Union”, organised by CEP in cooperation with the leading EU think tanks.
In the wake of the centenary of First World War in 2014, the Federal Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel initiated an intergovernmental process with the countries of the Western Balkans. Its aim has been to improve their cooperation, put “fundamentals first” and thereby reinvigorate their European integration. The first conference in Berlin was followed by a second one in Vienna in 2015, third one in Paris in 2016 whereas fourth one will be held in Trieste in July 2017. Round table discussion will be done as part of a series of events within a ‘Reflection Forum’ initiative, which aims to discuss the relevance of a European dialogue of research and policy institutions on issues related to the Western Balkans and their European integration in the run-up to the Conference of Heads of State and Government from the Western Balkans countries in Italy.
Disccusion will be held on 28 March 2017 at the Atrium ZRC SAZU (Novi trg 2, Ljubljana) from 18.00 to 20.00.
Please find the invitation attached, while you will be able to discuss the issues with the following speakers:
• Peter Grk, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ljubljana
• Zoran Nechev, EU ISS, Paris
• Eleonora Poli, IAI, Rome
• Florent Marciacq, Franco-Austrian Centre (CFA), Vienna
Reflection Forum on the run-up to the Summit of Trieste on the Western Balkans
CEP together with the leading EU think-tanks organised a round table “Perspectives for the Western Balkans in the European Union” 28 March in Ljubljana, following a preparatory meeting for the Reflection Forum event to be held in Trieste 26-27 June 2017.
CEP kindly invites you to a round table discussion “Perspectives for the Western Balkans in the European Union”, organised by CEP in cooperation with the leading EU think tanks.
