Ritsa Panagiotou at a roundtable expert discussion, organised by CIDOB

On October 3, Dr Ritsa Panagiotou, Senior Research Fellow, Southeast Europe Programme, ELIAMEP, participated in a roundtable expert discussion at the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB) on “Enlargement and Reform for the EU: a geopolitical response?”.

The discussion was attended by representatives of several important European think tanks, who tackled various crucial topics including the impact of the current geopolitical environment on enlargement, the balance between enlargement and reform, the possibility of reforming the EU Treaties, and many others.

Dr Panagiotou addressed several recent gamechangers in the international scene and how they impact the enlargement process; she also referred to the ELIAMEP initiative think nea – New Narratives of EU Integration, focusing on two particularly relevant reports that contribute to the dialogue, “The rise of radical right and Eurosceptic political forces and the impact on the EU’s enlargement policy” and “Europe’s overlooked allies: why the Western Balkans matter for EU defense readiness”. Finally, she discussed Greece’s changing role in the region over the years and what role the country can play going forward, especially considering the upcoming Trio Presidency of Ireland, Lithuania and Greece.