Critical Reflections on the EU Enlargement Process: Past, Present, and Future
Date
21 October 2025
Time
10:30-12:30
Location
S.D.328, Grote Kauwenberg, University of Antwerp, City Campus
Type of Event
Interactive seminar
Organisation
Egmont Institute
University of Antwerp students gathered for the first session of a two-part seminar examining the European Union’s enlargement process. Framed by the legacy of the 2004 “big bang” enlargement and the ongoing war in Ukraine, the seminar explored whether enlargement is still a credible tool for democratic consolidation and regional stability. In the preparatory session, students engaged with Professors Michiel Foulon and Peter Bursens to learn about the historical roots of enlargement and the conditionality of the Copenhagen criteria. The discussions centered on pressing topics, including EU candidacy, enlargement fatigue, and EU impact on its neighborhoods.
(Photo credit: Canva teams)