At a time of heightened geopolitical tensions in Europe, EU enlargement has regained strategic importance. The protection of democracy, the rule of law, media freedom, and resilience to corruption are central benchmarks for assessing candidate states and key drivers of the European Union’s renewed willingness to integrate new members. At the same time, public support for further enlargement within the EU will largely depend on candidates’ credible commitment to these values.

Yet recent developments in the Western Balkans raise concerns about whether the accession process consistently strengthens democracy. As the current geopolitical context increases pressure to integrate new members more quickly, an important question emerges: How can the EU ensure that enlargement remains a genuine driver of democratic consolidation?

To discuss this question, the Centre Grande Europe of the Jacques Delors Institute in Paris, and the Centre for Contemporary Politics invite you to a public event at the Hertie School in Berlin. The discussion will explore how EU enlargement can more effectively advance democratic reform in candidate states and what lessons can be drawn from recent experiences in the Western Balkans, particularly Serbia.

The event is part of the project Advancing Democracy through EU Enlargement, supported by Open Society Foundations. It will bring together policymakers, EU officials, academics, and think-tank experts to discuss recommendations for strengthening democratic incentives throughout the accession process.

Agenda :

15h00 – 15h05 | Opening remarks by, Sylvie Matelly, Director of the Jacques Delors Institute in Paris

15h05 – 16h15 | Panel discussion: Advancing Democracy Through EU Enlargement

•  Nikola Burazer, Programme Director, Centre for Contemporary Politics
• Aleksandar Ivković, Researcher, Centre for Contemporary Politics
• Sofija Popovic, Researcher, Centre for Contemporary Politics

Modération : Benjamin Couteau, Research Fellow at the Centre Grande Europe, Jacques Delors Institute

16h15 – 16h30 | Mot de clôture, Nemanja Todorovic Stiplija, Directeur du Centre for Contemporary Politics

From 16h30 onwards | Café