The Center for European Studies in SNSPA has the pleasure to invite you to participate in the online debate entitled “Enhancing the Role of the Western Balkans in the Future of Europe”, on December 15, 2021 between 9:00-11.00 (CET)/ 10.00-12.00 EET/ Romania, moderated by Miruna Butnaru-Troncotă (European Fund for the Balkans Alumna).
In spring 2021, the European Union launched the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE) – a deliberation process for sharing reflections on the future of our continent that will run until spring 2022. This transnational democratic exercise is now in EU’s spotlight, as it opens a new public forum for an inclusive and transparent debate gathering citizens, civil society and authorities and it aims to offer them a greater say in EU policy making in the years and decades to come. But this exercise should not be limited only to EU’s formal borders. The EU shares a common history, culture, security and economic interests and a common future with the Western Balkans – its neighbouring region included in EU’s enlargement policy. In this sense, the citizens from the Western Balkans should have their voices heard in the debate on the future of Europe.
But what do young people from the region think about this? What are their concerns regarding European democracy? How do young people from the Western Balkans see the role of their region in the future of European democracy? To tackle these more specific and relevant questions, we would like to facilitate the exchange of views at regional and European level on current issues concerning the future of the EU and the Western Balkans as seen by young people. The main objective of the event is to present the preliminary findings of a collective policy analysis conducted by a team of experts from the region (from both EU and the Western Balkans) focused on the visions of young people in the Western Balkans on their contributions to European democracy. The work-in-progress paper is based on qualitative data from 3 focus-groups conducted in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and North Macedonia between November-December 2021. In the end, the paper makes a series of policy recommendations for the EU in relation to the Western Balkans. In this event, we invited different stakeholders – from the EU institutions, Member States that support the EU integration process in the Western Balkans like Greece and Romania, together with policy experts and young people from all WB 6 – to join us for a constructive and honest dialogue and share their views on our common future.
The discussion will take place on Zoom and it will be live streamed on the Facebook Page of the Center for European Studies SNSPA. The official language is English. The project is funded by the European Fund for the Balkans (EFB), part of the BeeEFB initiative (EFB Alumni Network). The event is registered on the platform of the CoFoE, where the event’s conclusions will also be uploaded. The final Policy Paper will be circulated among all the participants in the event by January 2022. More details on the FB event here.
Agenda
9.00-9.10 – Welcoming remarks:
- MIRUNA BUTNARU TRONCOTĂ, Moderator, Center for European Studies SNSPA (Romania)
- REMUS PRICOPIE, Rector, National University of Political Science and Public Administration SNSPA, Romania
- ALEKSANDRA TOMANIĆ, Executive Director of the European Fund for the Balkans
9.10-9.30 – Presentation of the policy paper – preliminary findings:
- DONIKA EMINI, Co-author of the Policy paper, Kosovo
- SIMONIDA KACARSKA, Co-author of the Policy paper, North Macedonia
- HATIDZA JAHIĆ, Co-author of the Policy paper, Bosnia and Herzegovina
9.30- 10.10 – Main Statements of Guest Speakers:
- ALINA PADEANU, Diplomat, EU Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Romania
- ANDRÉ DE MUNTER, Desk officer for Kosovo & BiH, European Parliament
- CLIVE RUMBOLD, Western Balkans Task Force, European External Action Service
- SOFIA MAGOPOULOU, Researcher, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece)/ Co-author of the “Youth Stand For the Future of Europe” Report by European Youth Card Association (EYCA)
10.10-10.45 – Q&A Session
10.45- 11.00 – Concluding Remarks
About the organisers:
The Center of European Studies (CES) SNSPA is an academic structure of teaching and research specialised on European policies, part of the Department of International Relations and European Integration of the National University of Political Science and Public Administration (SNSPA) in Bucharest, Romania. It was established in 2003, before Romania entered the EU. Its mission is to provide expertise on European affairs to Romanian public sphere, to participate in relevant transnational policy dialogues with stakeholders and to disseminate policy recommendations at a national and European level.
The European Fund for the Balkans (EFB), founded in 2008, is a joint initiative of European foundations (Erste Foundation, Robert Bosch Foundation and King Baudouin Foundation) that envisions, runs and supports programmes aimed at strengthening democracy, fostering European integration and affirming the role of the Western Balkans in addressing Europe’s emerging challenges.
The EFB Alumni Network (beeEFB) aims to bring together members of the EFB programs and initiatives in order to connect the network members with common interests but different backgrounds and to foster cross-sectoral exchange and regional collaborations. The team members of this project: Miruna Butnaru-Troncotă (Romania), Donika Emini (Kosovo), Hatidza Jahic (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Konstantina Karydi (Greece), Simonida Kacarska and Ardita Vejseli (North Macedonia).
