Registration and coffee

Introduction and welcome

Steven Blockmans, European Union Enlargement Conference Director, ICDS

Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia

Keynote address

Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement

Panel I:
Matching the need for speed and the merits-based approach

Which geopolitical interests are not being served due to delays in the EU enlargement/accession? How to secure sincere reforms on the fundamentals for membership? Are the gradual integration mechanisms working? Is there a need to simplify and streamline the pre-accession process and, if so, how? To couple or de-couple candidates?

Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement

Taras Kachka, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine

Cristina Gherasimov, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration of Moldova

Jonatan Vseviov, Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia,

Moderator: Helga Kalm, Deputy Director, ICDS

Coffee break

Panel II:
Bilateral disputes: when and how to resolve them?

Which types of bilateral disputes belong within and outside the accession negotiations? Who decides, how and when? What are the strengths and weaknesses of EU facilitation and/or external mediation and arbitration?

Brigid Laffan, Professor Emerita, European University Institute

Nikola Dimitrov, President, Balkan Center for Constructive Policies

Aivo Orav, Head of the EU Office in Kosovo and EU Special Representative in Kosovo

Moderator: Steven Blockmans, European Union Enlargement Conference Director, ICDS

Lunch

Panel III:
Costs and benefits of EU enlargement / integration capacity

What are the trends in public support for enlargement in EU member states? How can the EU institutions and member states communicate enlargement more strategically and effectively? How is the EU preparing to finance enlargement under the next 7-year budget? What ideas and plans exist to revise EU policies and governance structures more thoroughly to accommodate new members?

Miriam Kosmehl, Senior Expert Eastern Europe,  Bertelsmann Stiftung

Johannes Tralla, Journalist at the Estonian Public Broadcasting

Irena Joveva, Member of the European Parliament

Keit Kasemets, Secretary of State, Government Office of Estonia

Moderator: Heather Grabbe, Senior Fellow, Bruegel

Coffee break

Panel IV:
A new northern enlargement?

Why is Iceland reconsidering EU membership and what to expect from the referendum? What impact would its outcome have on the EEA and Norway’s position on EU accession? What would a new northern enlargement mean for the EU and how fast could it happen?

Guðni Jóhannesson, Professor of History, University of Iceland, former President of Iceland

Pernille Rieker, Director of ARENA Centre for European Studies Norway

Matti Maasikas, Deputy Secretary General for Geoeconomics and Interinstitutional Issues at the European External Action Service

Asees Ahuja, Director EU Policy, Confederation of Swedish Enterprise

Moderator: Minna Ålander, Analyst, Analyst, Stockholm Centre for Eastern European Studies (SCEEUS) at Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI)

Takeaways and Priorities

Siiri Königsberg, Director General, European Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Estonia

Marilena Raouna, Deputy Minister of European Affairs, Republic of Cyprus

Demetris Samuel, Ambassador, Embassy of Cyprus

Reception offered by the Embassy of Cyprus to Estonia