
The Three Seas Initiative: A Key for Enhancing Connectivity in Central Europe to Make EU More Resilient and Cohesive Public hearing in the European Parliament, Brussels, October 15, 2024
The Three Seas Initiative (3SI) is an original regional cooperation format among thirteen EU member states of Central Europe. The 3SI focuses on improving connectivity between the north and south of the eastern part of the EU, mainly through developing transport, energy, and digital infrastructure. It also aims at strengthening the resilience of the region by ensuring secure supply chains and by developing better access to regional ports and connections with eastern neighbours of the EU. So far, the geographic and infrastructural conditions have hampered the unleashing of the full potential of the region to strengthen the EU economy and innovativeness. There are 4 strategic partners to the 3SI: the European Commission, the USA and Germany, Japan. Two states have the status of associated participating states to the 3SI: Ukraine and Moldova.
Central Europe has been developing dynamically in recent decades. To maintain the pace of development toward a highly innovative, interconnected, and resilient region, much more focus should be placed on regional cooperation. Thus, the aim of the conference was to present the 3SI concept of overcoming the indicated challenges and strengthening the EU. The conference brought together participants from different areas: politicians, scholars, experts, journalists and diplomats to discuss the results and prospects of the 3SI. This conference presented research findings of scholars and experts on the 3SI, adding our knowledge of regional cooperation and discuss its current status and serving to popularize scientific knowledge on regional cooperation. The main questions revolve around the up-to-date results of 3SI cooperation and its prospects.
Agenda
Time: October 15, 2024, 10 30 – 12 30
Venue: European Parliament, PHS1A002
Organized by Arkadiusz MULARCZYK MEP, ECR Group
Partners: 3SI Research Center project team, Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of
Sciences (ISP PAN), OSW
10:30 – Conference opening by: Arkadiusz MULARCZYK, MEP
10:40 – Introduction by Agnieszka ORZELSKA-STĄCZEK, professor at the Institute of Political Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences (ISP PAN), the 3SI Research Center project leader
10:50 – Panel discussion moderated by prof. Magdalena BAINCZYK
Panelists:
- Beata DASZYŃSKA-MUZYCZKA, Presidential Ambassador for 3Seas Initiative (Poland)
- Gediminas VARVUOLIS, Ambassador at Large for connectivity (MFA of Lithuania)
- Stephen Nikola BARTULICA, Member of the European Parliament (Croatia)
- Georgios MITRAKOS, ICBSS Director General, International Centre for Black Sea Studies, Athens
- Octavian-Dragomir JORA, professor at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (Romania)
- Open discussion with conference participants / Q&A
11:50 - Summary & conference closing by Arkadiusz MULARCZYK