LISD held a lunch seminar, "The EU Enlargement Process and Europe's Role in the World," on Thursday, September 24 at Prospect House on the Princeton University campus at 12:00 p.m. The lunch speaker was The Hon. Dr. Olli Rehn, EU Enlargement Commissioner. The event was co-sponsored with the European Union Program.

Rehn discussed the EU enlargement as an essential element of the EU's foreign and security policy and on perspectives for the coming years. He addressed key questions about EU enlargement: Were some countries admitted into the EU too quickly? Will the EU enlargement process continue at a steady pace in the coming years with Iceland, Turkey, the Balkan countries and more? Why should there be a focus on enlargement at a time when EU countries are facing a an economic crisis?  What are the implications for EU-NATO and Trans-Atlantic relations?

Rehn holds a D.Phil from Oxford University and has been Professor and Director of Research in the Department of Political Science and the Centre for European Studies at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Since 2004 he has been responsible for Enlargement in the European Commission.
Before joining the European Commission in 2004, he was economic advisor to the Prime Minister of Finland. From 1991-1995 Rehn was member of Finland's Parliament, and from 1995-1996 he was a member of the European Parliament. From 1989-1994 he was Deputy Chairman of the Centre Party of Finland.

Speech Text