Following a series of seminars dedicated to public opinion on EU enlargement across different Member States, the Centre for International Studies (CERI) at Sciences Po and the Greater Europe Centre of the Jacques Delors Institute are organising a conference to present and discuss the findings of this research programme (Panel 1), examine the evolution of the French government’s position on enlargement (Panel 2), and explore the challenges of communicating with public opinion and securing ratification of future accessions in France (Panel 3).

This conference aims to contribute to the debate on EU enlargement, a topic that remains notably absent from public discussion in France. Launching this debate is all the more important given that France may submit any future EU accession treaty to a referendum, while the enlargement process itself could accelerate in the coming years. The event will bring together policymakers, representatives of European institutions, academics and think tank experts to discuss the future of EU enlargement and the role of public opinion in shaping its success.

This event is part of a seminar series dedicated to the study of public opinion on EU enlargement across different Member States. It will bring together policymakers, representatives of European institutions, academics and think tank experts to discuss recommendations for strengthening democratic incentives throughout the accession process.

Agenda:

9h00 – 9h15 | Welcome remarks, Lukáš Macek, Head of the Centre Grande Europe of the Jacques Delors Institute

9h15 – 9h30 | Opening remarks, S.E. Monsieur Dritan Tola, Albanian Ambassador to France

9h30 – 10h30 | Panel 1 : Between Distrust and Ignorance: An Issue Absent from the European Debate

• Theresia Töglhofer, Research Fellow at the Genshagen Foundation
• Maria Giulia Amado Vicere, Assistant Professor at LUISS Guido Carli University
• Pierre Pribetich, Député de la Côté d’Or (French Member of Parliament)

Moderator : Christian Lequesne, Professor at Sciences-Po Paris and Director of the CERI – Sciences-Po

10h30 – 11h30 | Panel 2 : From Reluctance to Conditional Support: The Evolution of France’s Position on EU Enlargement

• Thierry Chopin, Associate Research Fellow at Sorbonne Nouvelle Université and Advisor to the Jacques Delors Institute
• Marguerite Costa de Beauregard, Deputy Director for the Balkans, French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
• Sébastien Maillard, Special Advisor to the Jacques Delors Institute, at the Centre Grande Europe

Moderator : Anne Bazin, Professor at Sciences-Po Lille

11h30 – 12h00 | Coffee Break & Networking

12h00 – 13h00 | Panel 3 : Communication and Ratification: How Can the Political Challenge Be Overcome?

• Bruno Cautrès, Research Fellow at CEVIPOF – Sciences Po
• Frédéric Petit, Député des Français établis à l’étranger (Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Balkans) (Member of the French Parliament)

Moderator : Lukáš Macek, Head of the Centre Grande Europe of the Jacques Delors Institute

13h00 – 13h15 | Concluding remarks, Pierre Mirel, Honorary Director-General at the European Commission and Advisor to the Greater Europe Centre