From left: Matti Maasikas, managing director for Europe at the European External Action Service, Ioannis Vrailas, ambassador and Greece’s permanent representative to the EU, Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos, Kathimerini English Edition Editor in Chief Tom Ellis and Faruk Kaymakci, ambassador and Turkey’s permanent representative to the EU, at the Third Delphi Brussels Forum. [Delphi Brussels Forum]
The shifting priorities and key issues facing the European Union, from its foreign policy and security to its infrastructure and enlargement, were some of the topics discussed at the Third Delphi Brussels Forum, which took place in Brussels on Thursday, organized by the Delphi Economic Forum in collaboration with Kathimerini English Edition.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos told a panel on EU enlargement that the process “will be an important part of our answer” to the new geopolitical challenges faced by the bloc. “It is not happening in isolation. If we want to restore peace on our continent, protect our freedoms and ensure prosperity for all Europeans, we need a bigger and stronger Union,” she said in her opening statement to a panel chaired by Tom Ellis, Kathimerini English Edition’s editor in chief.
The EU is now engaged in an enlargement agenda “not seen since the early 2000s,” Kos, a Slovenian diplomat and politician, said. The fact that “for the first time in a decade, we have the chance to bring one or more enlargement [candidates] to the finish line during this mandate” was a cause for optimism, she added. With so many “stars aligning in favor of enlargement,” it would be “unimaginable” for the EU not to be successful in this effort. The commissioner warned, however, that candidate countries could not resort to a “political discount” on the basis of geopolitical issues to gain entry to the bloc.
Miroslav Lajcak, the EU’s special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, emphasized the strategic importance of resolving the issue of Kosovo, noting that 40 agreements have been reached in the negotiations with Serbia. “There is no alternative to dialogue,” he told the panel.
Matti Maasikas, managing director for Europe at the European External Action Service, pointed out that the 2004 enlargement was a huge success, but European integration is not complete. “It took a war on our continent to revive the idea of enlargement,” he said.
Ioannis Vrailas, ambassador and Greece’s permanent representative to the EU, said that candidate countries for EU accession should proceed with the necessary reforms, and avoid exacerbating problems. As an example, he mentioned the improvement of relations between Greece and Albania. “When an issue that was causing us a problem was resolved, we sat down at the table and within 2.5 months we achieved more than what had not been achieved in the previous two decades,” he said.
Faruk Kaymakci, ambassador and Turkey’s permanent representative to the EU, pointed out that EU-Turkey relations remain problematic, but noted the need for dialogue and cooperation in areas such as the economy, transport and energy. “We are not joining the EU immediately, we know that, but we are asking for dialogue, discussions, contacts,” he said and referred to the improvement in Greek-Turkish relations as a positive development.
Ferit Hoxha, head of Albania’s Mission to the EU, expressed his belief that the EU’s willingness to enlarge is now real. “Our goal is to conclude the discussions in 2027 and at the end of the decade we aspire to become an EU member,” he said.
‘For the first time in a decade, we have the chance to bring one or more enlargement [candidates] to the finish line during this mandate,’ said Marta Kos
Dmytro Natalukha, chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Economic Development of Ukraine, said the new Trump administration in the US forces everyone to reconsider their strategy. “Before 2022, everything revolved around the economy and we were doing well. Then the situation changed and because of the Kremlin we see power from a different perspective.”
Siegfried Muresan, MEP and chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the Republic of Moldova, said, “Russia is trying to make the situation in Moldova difficult, but fortunately it has been failing lately.”
Earlier in the day, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European commissioner for sustainable transport and tourism, told the forum that the European automotive industry is a key pillar of the economy, noting that it is the largest private R&D investor in Europe. The sector supports 30 million jobs, directly and indirectly, and accounts for 7% of European GDP, he said. “I can assure you that we will not let this sector down. I will develop the EU industrial action plan for the automotive sector and present it early this year,” he said.
He also stressed the need to tackle geographical isolation and ensure universal access to transport. “All citizens in Europe, without exception, use some form of transport every day and they expect us to keep it affordable, available and safe. We have a lot of work ahead of us, and 2025 will be a crucial year for the next five years for the Union,” he told attendees.
Improving Europe’s railway network is also a priority. “Completing the railway network and connecting Europe’s major cities by high-speed rail is an absolute priority for me. Individuals and businesses have shown they are willing to switch to rail, including night trains, when it offers affordable, convenient and reliable solutions,” he said.
On another panel, European Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica announced a new chapter in EU policy for the region and the challenges of the Mediterranean region in a conversation with Kathimerini’s Brussels correspondent, Alexandra Voudouri. Suica first emphasized the importance of a newly established dedicated portfolio for the region, as well as the creation of the new Directorate-General for the Mediterranean, set to launch on February 1.
“The Mediterranean region faces persistent conflicts and political instability, threatening peace and security. However, the current ceasefire between Israel and Palestine, as well as the leadership change in Syria, offer glimmers of hope,” the commissioner said, adding that demographic pressures are increasing while economic growth remains fragile.
“Our neighbors seek economic opportunities, access to clean technologies, and, most importantly, investments. In their ongoing quest for economic opportunities, our Mediterranean neighbors need reliable partners. We are determined to make it clear that the European Union is their first-choice partner.”
Speaking at a separate event, Greek Infrastructure and Transport Minister Christos Staikouras expressed his belief that Greece is moving in the right direction to address the long-standing deficiencies and inconsistencies in the Greek railway network. “Tackling problems requires a systematic, persistent and long-term effort,” he said, adding that an action plan for railway safety and interoperability has been put into effect, which includes the organizational reform of the railway into a new, unified, modern public body, which will now fully assume the role and responsibilities of the railway infrastructure manager.
