REWEU national event in Riga – Ioannis Alexandris

On Thursday, December 5, the Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA) organised an event in the framework of the project (Re)uniting East and West: reflections on the 2004 EU Enlargement (REWEU) on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of this historical milestone. Ioannis Alexandris, Research Fellow of the South-East Europe Programme of ELIAMEP, was a panelist discussing the enlargement of the EU and the course of European integration.

Although the event mainly looked at the challenges and achievements of the “big bang” enlargement of 2004, the discussions also drew parallels with the current EU enlargement debates on the accession of the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova. Alexandris highlighted the often-overlooked economic benefits of the 2004 enlargement for the older member states, stressing the need to address these aspects in the public debate. The panelists collectively agreed that the 2004 enlargement remains a success story that offers valuable lessons for future EU enlargements.

Furthermore, Alexandris outlined the findings of his forthcoming study, which analyses the rise of Eurosceptic movements in Europe and their potential impact on EU enlargement. The research was carried out in the framework of the project think nea. During the panel he stressed that while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has increased the geopolitical imperative for EU enlargement, the political climate in EU capitals has become increasingly difficult.

You can learn more about the project (Re)uniting East and West: reflections on the 2004 EU Enlargement (REWEU) here.

More information on think nea is available here.

You can follow the South-East Europe Programme on Facebook and X.