Satellite sessions

The process of Accession to the EU promotes an important convergence of Institutional frameworks in candidate Member-States, both current and prospect. The two satellite sessions of the ARC23 invite distinguished speakers and national policymakers to discuss how institutional reforms promoted during accession may become an opportunity to foster development.”

Access to finance, economic convergence and EU accession – perspectives for Ukraine, Moldova and the western Balkans

15 November  - 10h00 to 17h30
Oesterreichische Nationalbank, Otto-Wagner-Platz 3 1090 Vienna Hybrid event (in person and online)

Organised by the Oesterreichische Nationalbank (OeNB) and the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) in cooperation with the European Commission, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans are united by the common perspective of joining the EU, although timelines remain uncertain. EU accession and the convergence of income levels in these countries toward EU levels will require a substantial amount of capital provided by public and private sources both abroad and in the countries themselves. Moreover, the EU candidates will be required to create the right framework conditions, allowing them to leverage these financial flows. Taking the perspective of the candidates, the EU and international financial institutions, this conference will look at financing needs and possible financing sources. Speakers and panelists will also discuss lessons learned from previous EU accessions of post-transition economies.

Moldova’s EU Accession Process – how to make it successful

15 November - 11h00 to 13h00 attend the conference on Webex
Charlemagne Building, Rue de Loi, 170 – 1000 Brussels, room 15/119 (in person and online)

Moldova has had an Association Agreement, including a free trade component, with the EU since 2014. The next step in the integration process, accelerated sharply by the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, was granting Moldova a candidate status in June 2022. The experience of the countries of the Western Balkans warns us that it takes a very strong, concentrated, and high-quality effort to make the process towards joining the EU a success.

Moderator: Kalman Mizsei (EU Adviser to the Government of Moldova)
Video message by Dorin Recean, Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova
Daniela Morari (Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the European Union)
Luc Devigne (Deputy Managing Director, European External Action Service (tbc))
Adrian Lupusor (Executive Director, Independent Analytical Center “Expert-Group”)
Iulian Groza (Executive Director, Institute for European Policies and Reforms)
Milan Lisicky, Deputy Head of Unit, Director-General Economic & Financial Affairs, Neighbourhood Countries and Macro-Financial Assistance 

To participating in-person, please write to ecfin-jrc-arc@ec.europa.eu .