EU enalargement debate at the Balkan Trafik festival

EU enlargement meets Balkan music and culture in the heart of Brussels. The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is teaming up with Balkan Traffik to organise a public debate at this popular music festival at the Bourse, bringing a CoR rapporteur and three young elected politicians from the Balkans into conversation with the wider Brussels audience beyond the "bubble". The event offers an opportunity to hear their perspectives, hopes and challenges—and to join the discussion.

What can enlargement countries contribute to the EU, and what challenges do they face on the road to EU integration? Young CoR members and local representatives from the CoR’s Young Elected Politicians (YEP) network will share their views with the audience. The debate will also explore the role of city diplomacy and the CoR’s work in facilitating enlargement.

With EU enlargement high on the agenda, the debate follows a series of CoR meetings in enlargement countries and the participation of CoR enlargement rapporteurs in the European Commission’s Enlargement Forum on 16 November. It will take place on Saturday 21 November from 16:00 to 17:00 in the Nef at the Bourse, when admission is free.

The festival attracts many drawn to Balkan music, food and culture, providing a setting for exchanges between local elected politicians, young Balkan representatives and the public.

Visitors can also discover the Tolerance Poster Show, first displayed at the CoR and the European Parliament in April and June 2024. Loaned to the festival, the exhibition promotes the values of tolerance. (Tolerance Poster Show | European Committee of the Regions) and was part of the Tolerance Project (About | Tolerance Project Inc.).