EFB at Policy Dialogue - The EU and the Balkans - A long engagement or a happy marriage?

Thursday, 28 June 2012, 10.30-12.30 Résidence Palace, Polak Room 155 Rue de la Loi, 1040 Brussels The European Policy Centre, in cooperation with the Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe and the European Fund for the Balkans, is pleased to announce the Policy Dialogue on The EU and the Balkans – A long engagement or a happy marriage? on June 28. The current political and economic situation in the Balkans cannot be understood in isolation from developments taking place within the EU. The euro crisis is not only undermining the European integration project, but also has a negative impact on the economies of the Balkans region, as well as an influence on the strategic importance of the enlargement dossier for the EU. At the same time, the enlargement process is still the best way to support the democratic transformation of the Balkans and anchor them firmly in Europe. Croatia is set to become the 28th EU member state in 2013, Montenegro will soon start accession negotiations, and Serbia has been offered candidate status. Yet the prospects for accession remain uncertain. Reforms and reconciliation efforts have yet to be consolidated in all the nations, where the past often mixes uncomfortably with present priorities. Work on state-building and improved governance is far from over. While it is the responsibility of the people of the Balkans to rise to the accession challenge, the EU also has its part to play in helping the region successfully move forward on the integration agenda. What should the main priorities and strategies be for the Balkans? And how can the EU keep enlargement alive, given its current preoccupation with the crisis? These and other issues will be debated after a short video presentation of the documentary series OKRUZENJE (Vicinities). Panellists will include EPC Senior Policy Analyst Rosa Balfour, Correspondent for the Balkans with The Economist Tim Judah, Executive Director of the European Fund for the Balkans Hedvig Morvai-Horvat, Director General for Enlargement in the European Commission Stefano Sannino and Romana Vlahutin, President's Envoy for South East Europe, Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia. Executive Director of the Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe Nenad Sebek will moderate the event.