On 14-15 September, REUNIR’s Sarah Bressan (GPPi), Christophe Hillion (Member of the Advisory Board) and Steven Blockmans (Project Coordinator) led a mixed group of experts in foresight discussions on EU enlargement. The interactive exercise was held in the context of a retreat co-organised with the Association Jean Monnet and CEPS at the former house of Jean Monnet, in Houjarray near Paris.

The aim of REUNIR’s contribution to the foresight talks was twofold: (i) to determine the most impactful uncertainties of malign foreign interference against candidate countries; and (ii) to suggest ways how the EU should future-proof its military, diplomatic, economic and financial toolboxes to achieve the geostrategic goal of enlargement. Support for accession within the EU was also considered as a key uncertainty. As such, the Houjarray Foresight Talks served as a testing ground for the research methodologies that will define the upcoming stages of the REUNIR project. .