On December 12nd, 2024, the European Institute of Romania (EIR) organized the anniversary conference entitled Together for a Stronger Europe! IER@25. On this occasion, 25 years since the founding of the European Institute of Romania were marked in the presence of government officials, representatives of the academic environment, journalists, and experts in the field of European affairs who contributed to the European course of our country and supported EIR’s mission in the last quarter century.
The conference was attended by H.E. Luminița Odobescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania, who gave a speech during the introductory session. The event was inaugurated by Oana-Mihaela Mocanu, Director General of EIR. The distinguished panel included: Alina Bârgăoanu, PhD, Professor, Bucharest National University of Political Studies and Public Administration, President of the Administrative Board, European Institute of Romania; Leonard Orban, Former European Commissioner, Former Chief Negotiator for Romania’s EU Accession, Member of the Administrative Board, European Institute of Romania; and Gabriela Drăgan, PhD, Professor, Faculty of International Business and Economics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Member of the Scientific Advisory Board, European Institute of Romania.
Furthermore, recorded video messages were presented with reference to both the conference theme and the IER@25 anniversary, by Victor Negrescu, Vice President of the European Parliament, H.E. Lazăr Comănescu, Secretary General, Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, and Jacques Pelkmans, Visiting Professor, College of Europe, Bruges; Senior Fellow, CEPS Brussels. The event was moderated by Eliza Vaș, Coordinator of the Studies Unit, European Institute of Romania (EIR).
During the conference, the following points were highlighted, among others:
- The institutional evolution of EIR – public institution founded through a PHARE project, with the aim of supporting the Government of Romania in the pre-accession and post-accession process, dedicated to strengthening Romania’s profile in the EU.
- EIR carried out extensive activity in four areas (studies, training, translations, and communication), both in the pre-accession and the post-accession period.
- The communication process on European affairs needs to be reconsidered, so that we can reach those beyond our immediate environment and show more clearly what the benefits of our EU membership are.
- Romania has a strong voice in Brussels, we must not block initiatives to be visible. If we look at our neighbourhood, either the Balkans or Eastern Europe, we shall notice that they wish to become EU member states.
- We must address questions such as: ”Why do we say we want in the EU,” but that ”the EU steals from us?” What unites these discourses? Who are we and what do we want? What is the relationship between technology and democracy? Are algorithms compatible with democracy?
- EIR has proven to be a resilient institution that has continued to carry out its mission despite the challenges it has encountered.
- The EU must face challenges from the East (the war in Ukraine) and from the West (we do not know what the effect of the US presidential elections will be and there is a possibility that the new US administration will impose taxes on European imports).
- There are at least two categories of citizens who have benefited greatly from joining the EU, but paradoxically have become Eurosceptic: farmers and the diaspora. What is being negotiated at European level needs to be better explained and communicated.
- We, who are here and love Europe, may not have done enough; either we have not communicated enough, or we have not reformed.
- The idea of working together in Europe is a necessity mentioned by all EU member states.
- In 2025, Romania will celebrate the ”coming of age” of its membership in the EU and, at this moment of crossroads, with multiple internal and external challenges, we should not underestimate the importance of our membership in the Euro-Atlantic area.