Under Attack? EU Normative Power vs. Democratic Backsliding

#GEOEUvalues

December 3, 2018 | 18.30-20.30

Europäisches Haus (Berlin)

European values are under attack. In the European Union, consensus on democracy, the rule of law and other values defined in Art. 2, Treaty on European Union has eroded – European integration based on shared values and norms has turned out to be a struggle rather than a matter of course. At the same time, particularly since the end of the Cold War, the EU has come to increasingly build on European values in its external relations, and to make use of „normative power“ towards enlargement and neighboring countries. Thus, the question arises to what extent the increasing challenges to European values within the EU affect the EU’s ability to pursue its value-oriented external action. How might illiberal tendencies within the EU even directly impact on enlargement candidates and neighboring states?

In order to provide answers to these questions, our German-Georgian-French project #GEOEUvalues takes a closer look at the EU and Georgia. Following a workshop and conference in Tbilisi last September we are proud to present and discuss with you our policy paper on the matter this 3rd December.

After a word of welcome by Frank Piplat, Director of the European Parliament Liaison Office in Germany, Sonja Schiffers (Polis180), Renata Skardziute-Kereselidze and Salome Minesashvili (Georgian Institute of Politics) and Guillaume Ulmann (Argo Think Tank) will briefly introduce you to #GEOEUvalues and our paper.

Following this, we are looking forward to discuss our policy recommendations, addressed to European citizens and policy makers, with the following guests:

• Marieluise Beck | Co-Founder, Center for Liberal Modernity (LibMod) | former Member of the Bundestag (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen)
• Monika Lenhard | Deputy Head of Division South Caucasus and Central Asia, Federal Foreign Office

After the event you are invited to Georgian finger food provided by Restaurant Madloba.

Please register via the form below. For any inquiries do not hesitate to contact us at sonja.schiffers@polis180.org.

This project is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office in the framework of the programme “Expanding Cooperation with Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Countries and Russia”.

#civilsocietycooperation