INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

The Black Sea Region: Link between an Enlarged Europe and its New Neighbourhood

Bucharest, 15th and 16th of October 2009

The Austro French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe has, over the past years, concentrated the bulk of its work on promoting the accession of the new democracies of East and Central Europe to the European Union, a focus that lately has also turned to the countries of the Western Balkans. It has now turned its attention for the first time to the Black Sea Region and the special role it plays in the neighbourhood of the European Union.

The Black Sea Region, a unique bridge between Europe and Asia, has a high potential of development set against a rich historical and cultural background, while it is also marked by apparent differences, divergences and unsolved conflicts.

This region has nevertheless become very dynamic and plays an important role not only for the European Union but also for the whole of the Euro Atlantic area. It includes today EU member states while negotiations on Turkish EU accession are continuing. The role of this area as an energy and transport hub for many EU member states is of particular importance.

As the development of the Black Sea Region is heavily affected by such obstacles as i.e. frozen conflicts, the instability of young democracies or insufficient border regimes, promoting efficient cooperation among Black Sea States is one of the most important tools to address these problems.

The Austro French Centre, which over the past years has accumulated much experience in addressing problems and challenges faced by the countries of East and Central Europe, was now putting its focus on this Region and in particular on the conditions for increased and deepened economic and political cooperation.

"The Black Sea Region: Link between an Enlarged Europe and its New Neighbourhood“

which was held in Bucharest on October, 15th and 16th, 2009.

This conference provided space for fruitful and constructive discussions on the issues mentioned above. As a gathering of key experts and decision makers (from the Black Sea Region, Austria, France and other EU member countries), it offered an opportunity to develop new ideas on future European and transatlantic relations regarding the Black Sea Region, the space for conflict resolution and cooperation initiatives as well as dealing with energy security.

The fact that about 200 persons were present at this conference, demonstrated the importance of the discussed topics.

In preparing this Conference, the Austro-French Centre in Vienna and its French partner IFRI (French Institute for International Relations) in Paris, worked in close cooperation with the French and Austrian Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

In Romania the ACF was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as by the Embassies of Austria and France, and its Ambassadors H.E. Martin Eichtinger and H.E. Henri Paul. We want to express our special thanks to Mr. Georg Oberreiter, Minister plenipotentiary at the Austrian Embassy.

The “European Institute of Romania”, under the direction of Mrs. Gabriela Dragan, was the co-organiser of the conference, and we want to thank Mrs. Florentina Costache - as well as her team of four young ladies - for all the support and help during the conference preparations, but also and especially during the conference.

The Commercial Bank of Romania (BCR) - represented by its CEO, Mr. Dominic Bruynseels, was the sponsor of this event.