Europe at a Crossroads: Setting the Course for a Resilient Continent

The policy brief by Frauke Seebass (Research Fellow, Wider Europe Programme – ELIAMEP & Researcher, think nea – New Narratives of EU Integration), “Europe at a Crossroads: Setting the Course for a Resilient Continent”, was prepared in the framework of ELIAMEP’s initiative think nea – New Narratives of EU Integration, supported by the Open Society Foundations – Western Balkans.

This policy brief explores how the European Union can reconcile internal reform with geopolitical enlargement in an increasingly unstable global environment. It argues that the EU must adopt a more strategic and integrated approach to enlargement, security, competitiveness, and democratic resilience in order to strengthen its strategic autonomy and global relevance.

The brief highlights the untapped potential of enlargement countries—particularly the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova—in areas such as defense, infrastructure, critical raw materials, and supply chains. At the same time, it stresses the importance of safeguarding democratic values, improving institutional effectiveness, and involving citizens more directly in shaping Europe’s future. Ultimately, it argues that closer cooperation with candidate countries and like-minded partners is essential for building a more resilient, united, and future-proof Europe.

You can read the policy brief here.

This policy brief was profoundly informed by Europe at a Crossroads, a two-day high-level dialogue to explore forward-looking strategies for Europe’s future held by ELIAMEP on 19 and 20 February 2026, with the kind support of Konrad Adenauer Foundation Greece & Cyprus and Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies.