The IEP Annual Conference 2024 addressed the EU's internal challenges following the elections in June, its relations with neighbourhood countries in the context of enlargement as well as the EU’s position on the international political stage. Frank Schimmelfennig, Chairman of the Academic Advisory Board of the IEP, and Christoph Wolfrum, Director General for EU Affairs of the Federal Foreign Office, opened the conference in a keynote discussion which shared scientific and political perspectives on the challenges and showed how academics and practitioners can cooperate to tackle the tasks ahead.
The influence of right-wing populist parties has increased also within European institutions. These parties create new dynamics that will challenge the established institutional processes. To what extent and in which policy areas this will shape the content of European policies largely depends on the behaviour of established parties.
This influence of right-wing populists is one of the many challenges the new Commission will be facing, but as the Draghi Report recently made clear, it is only one among many. It remains to be seen how well European Council and Commission work together to address the tasks ahead, which include setting up the new multiannual financial framework (MFF).
A central focus of the new legislative period will be EU enlargement. The Union must face the growing geopolitical pressure and at the same time take account of the need for internal reform. It will be crucial to find the right balance in order to ensure both internal stability and the ability to act internationally.
These developments will have a significant impact on the EU's position on the world stage. In the face of global political shifts, the Union will need to invest more in resilient international partnerships, emphasising its own strengths and recognising the interests of partners.
The IEP Annual Conference 2024 took place on 19 and 20 September at the of the State Representation of Saxony-Anhalt in Berlin and in cooperation with the Academic Advisory Board of the IEP. It was kindly supported by the Federal Foreign Office and the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme of the EU.
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Dr Johanna Hase, Simone Großner, State Secretary of the State of Saxony-Anhalt (f.l.t.r.)
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Prof Dr Funda Tekin, Director of the IEP
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Keynote Discussion: Forging Futures: The EU, its Neighbourhood and Beyond
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Christoph Wolfrum, Prof Dr Funda Tekin and Prof Dr Frank Schimmelfennig (f.l.t.r.)
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Dr Alexander Schilin, Prof Dr Theresa Gessler, Prof Dr Natasha Wunsch (f.l.t.r.)
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Dr Manuel Müller, Dr Marta Lorimer
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Panel I: The Impact of the Populist Radical Right on the European Level
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Prof Dr Funda Tekin, Dr Anton Hofreiter, Dr Barbara Lippert (f.l.t.r.)
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Dr Anton Hofreiter, Dr Barbara Lippert, Tyyne Karjalainen, Zoran Nechev (f.l.t.r.)
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Prof Dr Eric Jones, Barbara Gessler, Prof Dr Eva Heidbreder, Bernd Hüttemann (f.l.t.r.)
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Dr Anna Barrera, Dr Johanna Hase, Dr Sergey Lagodinsky
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Dr Sergey Lagodinsky
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Panel IV: The EU as a Global Player - Developing Healthy Partnerships or Frustrating Alliances?
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Reception
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The IEP team
Team & authors
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