EU enlargement and state building in the Balkans: a comparative analysis

The workshop’s objective is to gather, in a single event, renowned experts in different fields concerning Bosnia and Kosovo and more generally the Western Balkans, in order to create a genuine exchange of ideas, information, political visions, but also to contribute a technical illumination of the countries’ futures.

In parallel to this reflexion on the Balkans’ future, the association Bourgogne Balkans Express wishes to bring to the attention of Sciences Po students and Burgundy’s public the complexity of the subject, thus offering a pedagogical dimension to the project.

This year, we would also like to invite students from Balkan countries to attend the workshop so that the academic and cultural exchange can be truly significant. These students will attend the conferences and round tables as part of the public and will animate a debate that will allow confronting the different opinions of the Balkans youth.

The academic setting of Sciences Po offers one of the most adapted environments for this type of event: the aim of our debate will be to confront different points of view and it will appeal to analytical discourse in order to lead a constructive and objective reflexion.

The experts solicited during this workshop will be invited to submit proposals and concrete solutions on precise subjects. These contributions will form the object of a publication that will be widely distributed, in electronic as well as in printed form, for the use of researchers, students, national and international experts attentive to the evolution of the region and the European questions that are raised there.

DRAFT PROGRAMME

Monday April 11th 2011

18h - Introductive conference
The Western Balkans, 20 years after the independence of Croatia and Slovenia:assessment of the current political and economic situation

- Jean-Arnault Dérens, editor of Courrier des Balkans
- Charles Paradis, Chairman of the Business Council France – Western Balkans of MEDEF International

Tuesday April 12th 2011

9h - Opening conference
Plenary Hall of Dijon City Council (Grand Dijon)
What results for the EU strategy in the Western Balkans?

- Arnaud Danjean, MEP, Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo
- Paola Pampaloni, European Commission, DG Enlargement, Head of Unit Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Ruud Van Enk , Deputy Head of the Kosovo issues Unit, DG Enlargement, European Commission

17h - Closing conference
Regional Council of Burgundy

21:30h - Wine Bar, Cave à Jules, Informal debate
The Balkan youth and current issues

INFO:
Association Bourgogne Balkans Express
Premier cycle de Sciences Po Paris à Dijon
14 Avenue Victor Hugo - Dijon (FRANCE)
Elena.chutrova@sciences-po.org