Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský attended a ministerial conference on EU enlargement in Berlin on 2 November 2023, organised by the German Foreign Ministry in cooperation with the Spanish EU Presidency. Ministers and experts exchanged views on the challenges posed by EU enlargement both for the candidate countries and for the EU itself.
“The enlargement of the European Union represents both an opportunity and a challenge not only for the individual candidate countries but also for the EU itself. Two important moments are ahead of us when in a week the European Commission will assess the progress of the countries with membership prospects and in less than two months the European Council will also discuss enlargement,“ said Lipavský at the end of the conference “Making the EU fit for enlargement and candidate countries fit for accession”. Minister Lipavský also met with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.
Ministers debated EU enlargement, its reform and the future of the wider EU as a global player. “There is strong Czech support for enlargement to Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia and the Western Balkan countries. But all must be ready for entry, not only the candidate countries but also the European Union itself,”added Lipavský.
The conference also included a panel discussion with experts chaired by the German Minister for Europe and Climate, Anna Lührmann. After the conference, Minister Lipavský met for a discussion with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock.
