Thu, 29/06/2017
Under the title “The Western Balkans in the European Union: Perspectives of a region in Europe?”, the 2nd edition of the Reflection Forum was held in Trieste on 26-27 June, gathering experts working in national and European administrations and institutions, researchers affiliated with European think-tanks and universities from 25 EU and Western Balkan countries.
On Day 1 the participants took part in the academic roundtable at the MIB Trieste School of Management: “The Western Balkans in the European Union: Perspectives of a region in Europe?”.
The official opening took place at the Palazzo della Regione, Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region in Trieste with the participation of Debora Serracchiani, President of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region; Margot Klestil-Löffler, CEI Alternate Secretary General; Tanja Fajon, Member of the European Parliament; Ferdinando Nelli Feroci, President of the IAI and Michele Giacomelli, Special Envoy of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The main event was organised on Day 2, at the CEI Headquarters, where the participants took part in a lively debate offering a valuable occasion to exchange ideas, experiences, reflections about enlargement and the future of the EU.
The discussions focused on the following main topics:
The participants reaffirmed and emphasised the need for a stronger impact of the civil society on the EU enlargement process. In this respect, a series of outreach events as panel discussions throughout the European Union and the Western Balkans will follow in 2017-2018 in order to nourish the dialogue on this topic.
The Reflection Forum was organised by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Rome; the Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE), Nice/Berlin/Istanbul; the Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (CFA/ÖFZ), Vienna; in cooperation with a number of relevant institutions and organisations.
The report of the event will be available soon.


On Day 1 the participants took part in the academic roundtable at the MIB Trieste School of Management: “The Western Balkans in the European Union: Perspectives of a region in Europe?”.
The official opening took place at the Palazzo della Regione, Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region in Trieste with the participation of Debora Serracchiani, President of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region; Margot Klestil-Löffler, CEI Alternate Secretary General; Tanja Fajon, Member of the European Parliament; Ferdinando Nelli Feroci, President of the IAI and Michele Giacomelli, Special Envoy of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The main event was organised on Day 2, at the CEI Headquarters, where the participants took part in a lively debate offering a valuable occasion to exchange ideas, experiences, reflections about enlargement and the future of the EU.
The discussions focused on the following main topics:
- Regional tensions and bilateral conflicts in the Western Balkans: how regional tensions become European problems?;
- Internal & regional security: going beyond the repressive security cooperation?
- Investing in infrastructures & knowledge: Escaping the gendered-economy trap?
The participants reaffirmed and emphasised the need for a stronger impact of the civil society on the EU enlargement process. In this respect, a series of outreach events as panel discussions throughout the European Union and the Western Balkans will follow in 2017-2018 in order to nourish the dialogue on this topic.
The Reflection Forum was organised by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Rome; the Centre international de formation européenne (CIFE), Nice/Berlin/Istanbul; the Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (CFA/ÖFZ), Vienna; in cooperation with a number of relevant institutions and organisations.
The report of the event will be available soon.
- Programme available HERE.
- http://www.cep.si/news-and-press-/press-releases/611-the-western-balkan…
- http://www.iai.it/en/pubblicazioni/western-balkans-european-union-persp…


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