News Publication Social Democratic Politics and Values Publication Social Democratic Politics and Values The European Political Community and the Western Balkans: Strategic thinking or misleading hope?" 05.12.2022 Ahead of tomorrow's EU - Western Balkans summit, we are sharing a reflection on a proposal that has raised a few eyebrows among the Western Balkans countries: European Political Community (EPC). In his new analysis " The European Political Community and the Western Balkans: Strategic thinking or misleading hope?", Florent Marciacq (PhD) emphasizes that the need for political engagement on strategic issues that are not limited to EU accession is more pressing than ever. In this context, he evaluates the overly marketed EPC, that risks propagating delusive expectations among would-be Member states. Rather than turning into one more big forum dedicated to intergovernmental cooperation, the EPC could become a political framework in which alliances are being forged across continental Europe by progressive governments seeking to bolster European integration. Their engagement in policy fields that are neglected by the EU, such as European civic education and youth mobility, could make a difference. Read more in the full paper, now available online.
