The 170th Bergedorf Round Table

Budapest, 22-24 March 2019

If the Lisbon Treaty bore testament to widespread optimism about the future of Europe, the ensuing decade revealed a number of divisions and fault-lines throughout the European Union. In light of multiple internal and external challenges ranging from the European debt crisis and Brexit to the relations with Russia and the management of migration and borders, there is an urgent need for member states to find common ground on the future of the European project. To what extent are member states still able to agree on the future configuration of Europe? Can Brussels forge a compromise in the debate on sovereignty and supranationality without compromising its own values?

Against this background, the 170th Bergedorf Round Table took place from 22-24 March 2019 in Budapest, exploring the question of European cohesion, the root causes underlying current divisions as well as potential paths towards renewal. What historical lessons have been learned 30 years after the revolutions of 1989 and 15 years after the Eastern Enlargement of the EU in 2004? What core values build the foundation of the EU? According to whom? In how far could 2019 mark a historical juncture for the EU? In how far do EU member states share a common vision for the future of the “European project”?

These and other questions were discussed by 45 high-ranking politicians, government officials, and representatives from think tanks, academia and the media from EU member states and beyond, who took part in the Round Table.

List of Participants