We are pleased to invite you to the next event of our  European Café  series focusing on the relationship between the V4 countries and France.

The election of French President Emmanuel Macron last summer created new expectations for the revitalization of the French-German engine and a reformed leadership of the European Union. In this context, the V4 countries need to find ways to recalibrate their relationship with France in order to defend their own interests. The developments towards a multi-speed Europe, the divergence on economic, social or security issues may hamper the functioning of the V4 and pose a challenge to its unity and common interests. In our discussion, we would like to focus on the following questions: which policy issues can provide a common platform for the V4 and France? Can the region and especially Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic overcome its traditional distance from Paris? Are there issues that resonate with specific V4 states? Which are the most important differences, and can they be reconciled?

Our guests are:

Mr. Max-Olivier Gonnet,  Underdirector for Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic States, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France

Mr. Martin Michelot,  Deputy Director, EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, Czech Republic

Mr.  Pál Péter Schmitt , Director General, EU Coordination, Institutional and Legal Affairs, State Secretariat for EU Affairs, Office of the Prime Minister of Hungary

The event will be moderated by:  Ms. Edit Inotai , Senior Fellow, CEID

The Center for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Democracy (CEID) has launched a series of discussions on current European issues, supported by the Erste Stiftung and the National Cooperation Fund (NEA). We aim to discuss the vital challenges of the European integration from an Hungarian perspective. Our aim is to organize constructive and open debates about our common European future by inviting politicians and experts from and beyond Hungary.

The event will be in English. Please note that the Chatham House Rule will apply at the event.h

We would be delighted if you could accept our invitation. Since seats are limited, we would urge you to register. In case of questions related to this event, please contact our colleague Ms. Noémi Matis at  noemi.matis@ceid.hu .

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Bartha

Executive Director, Center for Euro-Atlantic Integration and Democracy

The discussion on “New Dimensions-The Relationships between the V4 and France” is co-organized with EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, The French Institute and the Embassy of France to Hungary in the framework of EUROPEUM’s “Charting a new path for a reinforced and improved V4-France cooperation “project.