On Friday 26 May 2023, another National Convention roundtable on the European Union will take place at the Liechtenstein Palace and via the online platform Webex Teams, this time on the topic of the European Political Community and its future potential. The debate will take place from 9:00 to 12:00. The topic will be discussed by representatives of the public administration, the education sector, the business community, social partners and other invited guests. EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy is the expert guarantor of this roundtable.
The idea of creating a pan-European platform for discussing topics of common interest that would unite EU member states with their neighbours was introduced by French President Macron in May 2022, responding to the geopolitical challenges related to Russian aggression in Ukraine, as well as the lengthy journey of some countries in the EU enlargement process. During its Presidency of the Council of the EU, the Czech Republic took the lead in organising the first summit under the newly created format of the European Political Community (EPC), which dealt mainly with security and economic issues and created a forum for sensitive political discussions. The success of the first meeting was confirmed by the announcement of follow-up summits in Moldova, Spain and the UK. At present, however, there are still a number of questions about the long-term purpose, potential, format and degree of institutionalisation of this new initiative.
Questions to be discussed at the roundtable:
- What potential does the European Political Community offer and how can it complement existing platforms and processes?
- In which areas of cooperation does the platform have the greatest potential and what should it focus on?
- What format and modus operandi would be most beneficial for the Platform to fulfil its purpose?
