Third Progressive Enlargement Conference & Willy Brandt Programme Conference.

Strengthening democracy, as well as social and labour rights, improving living standards and working conditions, and driving upward convergence must be key components of the accession process. This requires the adoption of the European acquis – including the social
ones – by the candidate countries, the strengthening and full realisation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, the promotion of both social and intergenerational dialogue, and a steadfast commitment to gender equality as a cornerstone of democratic progress.

The success of the accession process also depends on empowering the youth, who are the primary stakeholders in a future enlarged European Union. By fostering a vibrant civil society in which the younger generations play a crucial role and ensuring their active participation in democratic life, the EU can secure a resilient and lasting democratic foundation for all.

In a final dedicated session of this two-day event, new research on the evolving attitudes of national political parties toward enlargement will be presented. Participants will discuss how domestic political dynamics and priorities within EU member states shape the European integration process, analysing the challenges of building national consensus fora wider Union.

The third progressive enlargement conference brings together progressive partners, decision-makers, politicians, and experts from all ten candidate countries, as well as EU lawmakers and stakeholders, to address these vital objectives.

The conference is organised by the Foundation for European Progressive Studies, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, the Foundation Max van der Stoel, Kalevi Sorsa Foundation, Olof Palme International Centre, Renner Institut, CeSPI, Progresiva, and the S&D Group in the European Parliament, in the framework of FEPS Enlargement Programme.

The conference will be preceded by the conference of the S&D Willy Brandt Programme.

The main goals of the conference will be:

• Discussing the different aspects of the social dimension of the enlargement process – as outlined above – and analysing the role of youth and defining ways to engage with youth, and empower rather than help them.
• Offering opportunities for networking and exchange between social democratic partners from the ten candidate countries and MEPs and experts from Brussels in a closed roundtable format.
• Developing progressive positions and proposals on the future of EU enlargement policy across the regions.

PROGRAMME

Wednesday 22April
14:15-15:00 Registration at the European Parliament
15:00-18:00 Willy Brandt Programme Conference -public event

An EU enlargement for a new generation: Empowering young people
Organised by the S&D Group in theEuropean Parliament

Thursday 23April Progressive Enlargement Conference
Closing the social and gender gaps

09:00 – 09:15 Welcome & introduction
Kaisa Vatanen, FEPS Vice-President, Treasurer (tbd)
Helene Kortländer, Head of Department Eastern Europe, FriedrichEbert-Stiftung Berlin
Master of ceremony
Kido Koenig, Director, Foundation Max van der Stoel (FMS)

09:15 – 09:30 Opening remarks
João Martinez Perera, President, YES (tbc)

09:30 – 11:00 Session I – The social dimension of enlargement
Presentation of FES Study
During this session, the findings of a FES Study on the social dimension of enlargement will be presented and discussed. The debate will revolve around the gap between EU member states and candidate countries in terms of social rights, policies and protections, on the strategic social reforms that accession countries
should introduce and, on the mechanisms put in place by the European Union to fill the gap.
Input by: Mirna Jusic, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University
Reactions:
Delara Burckhardt, Member of the European Parliament, Germany
A reaction from an Eastern European country (tbc)
TBC
Debate

11:00 – 11:30 Coffee break

11:30 – 13:00 Session II – The Gen Z gender gap
In the European Union, young women and men of Generation Z are increasingly drifting apart in their values, voting patterns and attitudes toward equality. This represents a critical challenge for the Union’s democratic resilience and the future of progressive movements. This
session will move from the findings of EqualiZe, a research project by FEPS and its partners across five EU countries, to expand this lens to the enlargement context. Participants will explore similarities and differences with trends in candidate countries. By comparing the experiences of youth in the EU with those in the Western Balkans and Eastern Europe, the discussion will address how these shifting gender dynamics might shape the political stability and democratic standards of a future enlarged Union.

Input by:
Matteo Dressler, Policy Analyst on Democracy and Participation, FEPS
Lura Pollozhani, Researcher on social movements and EU enlargement, University of Graz
Reactions:
Chloé Ridel, Member of the European Parliament, S&D (tbd)
Sanela Shkrijelj, Policy & Gender Equality Consultant (tbd)
Debate

13:00 – 14:30 Lunch

14:30 – 16:00 Focus session – The politics of enlargement: how national parties can shape accession
In the enlargement process, the final word on a candidate’s accession stays with the member states. Hence, domestic political dynamics and priorities affect, for better or for worse, the process of integration.
In this session, participants will discuss the main results of research led by FEPS in cooperation with CeSPI, the Karl Renner Institut and the Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa, on political parties’ attitude towards accession. The short presentation will be followed by a world café discussion on the implication for the enlargement process and a potential strategy for progressive forces in the European Union and in the candidate countries.

Input: Luisa Chiodi, Director, Osservatorio Balcani and Caucaso Transeuropa

World café discussion
Table 1: How to raise awareness of EU enlargement among the youth
Moderator: Marco Schwarz, Policy Officer, Democracy & Rule of Law, EU Enlargement
Table 2: How to engage national progressive parties and their potential allies
Moderator: Jelena Simic, Project and Communications Manager, Kalevi Sorsa Foundation
Table 3: How to mobilise civil society to build support of EU enlargement
Moderator: Sabina De Silva, Researcher on the topic of Western Balkans, EU enlargement process and Cultural Diplomacy

At the end of the session, the moderators will report to the plenary.

16:00 – 16:15 End of the Conference with summary & outlook
Kido Koenig, Director, Foundation Max van der Stoel (FMS)