UEF Europe and UEF Finland are organizing, in collaboration with JEF Europe and JEF Finland, the Interregional Conference in Turku (Finland), between 28 - 30 August with four events:

First event (Debate)

What: Much More than a Market, How to reform the European Union?

Where: Turku City Hall (Aurakatu 2)

When: Wednesday 28 August, 18.00-19.00

Speaker:

Second event (Debate)

What: "Time to Update the Treaties for a Stronger and Larger EU”
Where: Sopukka, Itäinen Rantakatu 14
When: Thursday 29 August, 15.30-16.15

• Paavo Lipponen, Former Prime Minister and Chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Finland
• Manuel Müller, Senior Researcher, Institute for Foreign Policy

• Kati Systä, member of the board of Young European Federalists

Join the livestreaming here: LINK

The enlargement of the European Union is a hot topic that arouses a lot of emotion. It is also a major issue determining the future of the EU. Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, enlargement has risen to the heart of the European debate. How should the EU change to prepare for the accession of new member states? Are we on the way to negotiating treaty changes?

This debate, organised by the European Federalists, will exchange ideas on how the EU should be reformed for the next five years. Paavo Lipponen, former Prime Minister of Finland and a long-standing figure in EU politics, will present on EU enlargement, one of Europe's biggest political issues at a time when 10 new countries are applying to join the Union, while the war in Ukraine is testing the European project of peace and unity. Manuel Müller, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Foreign Policy, will comment on the enlargement of the Union, in particular from the perspective of EU institutional reform. The event will conclude with a panel debate.

The event will be moderated by Kati Systä, member of the board of Young European Federalists.

NOTE! The programme will be held in English.

Everyone will have the opportunity to attend various panel sessions taking place at the Turku Europe Forum, arranged by different organisations from Finland and beyond. 

Third Event (Reception)

After the panel debate, welcome to our traditional Federalist terrace on 29 August at 17:00

We will meet at the Riverboat Cindy for relaxed discussions, light cocktails and networking.

The event is open to all, and a chance to learn more about the European Federalist movement.

The event is co-hosted with Energiateollisuus and you can join directly from the Europe Forum where we will be holding a discussion with Paavo Lipponen and Manuel Müller at 15:30.

Fourth event

Additionally, UEF invites you to join for the internal UEF capacity-building workshops on the 30th of August: the topics are “Increasing organisational capacity of the Nordic-Baltic federalist family” and “Advocating for federalism in the Nordic-Baltic context”.

Information Kit for International Participants