Hertie School hosts public lecture with outgoing Henrik Enderlein Fellow Besa Shahini and incoming Fellow John Morijn discussing EU enlargement and the rule of law.
Carrying on Henrik Enderlein’s legacy, the Hertie School and the Stiftung Mercator presented the third Henrik Enderlein Fellow, legal scholar John Morijn. The public lecture, titled “Integrating New Members: Strengthening the Rule of Law in a Growing EU”, was co-hosted by the Hertie School’s Jacques Delors Centre and the Centre for Fundamental Rights, where Morijn will be active.
The event included keynote remarks by Morijn and outgoing Fellow and former Albanian Minister of Education Besa Shahini, as well as a panel discussion that included the two Fellows and the Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Franziska Brantner. The discussion was moderated by Jacques Delors Centre Deputy Director Thu Nguyen.
Carrying on Henrik Enderlein’s legacy
President Woll began the event by calling for a moment of silence for Henrik Enderlein, who would have turned 50 the day after the event. “I would like to invite you to take a moment to honour his memory, and silently think of him and those who are missing him the most tonight,” she said.
Both Shahini and Morijn carry on late Hertie School President Henrik Enderlein’s commitment to Europe, stressed Woll. Thanking Shahini for broadening “our understanding of the stakes and challenges of a wider Europe”, she greeted incoming Fellow Morijn. “What John shares with Henrik is his devotion to examining and promoting European values in policymaking while asking pressing questions about the concept of democracy,” she said.
According to Magdalena Kirchner, Director of the Centre for Europe in the World at Stiftung Mercator, John Morijn’s research into the rule of law and democracy in the EU is not purely an academic question, but “an appeal to all of us. These turbulent times urge us to reflect on how to preserve, reform and rebuild the Europe that Henrik Enderlein envisioned. Professor Morijn, we eagerly anticipate your insights.”
Opening remarks on EU enlargement/rule of law
In her keynote remarks, Besa Shahini drew on her research into the EU accession process in the Western Balkans. She warned against a solely economic integration of new countries, arguing that this could lead to a greater trade deficit between the Western Balkans and EU countries. It could also cause people to leave the Balkans for other EU countries for lack of job opportunities, she added. For this reason, she argued the EU needs to offer candidate countries more financial support to signal that they are safe places in which to invest.
While noting the importance of enlargement due to geopolitical concerns, John Morijn stressed that the rule of law cannot fall by the wayside in the process. “EU enlargement is essential. So is rule of law protection,” said Morijn. “We must try to integrate all European states into our community – which Henrik Enderlein rightly saw as one of the most important peace projects in history – by not compromising on the value of all our foundational standards.”
Panel discussion on EU enlargement and the rule of law
During the panel discussion, the speakers addressed whether the European Union needs new laws to protect liberal democracy and the enforcement of standing laws. State Secretary Brantner argued that the EU Commission needs new tools to address threats to democracy such as social media-driven polarisation. Morijn countered that what was at fault was not a lack of rule of law-defending instruments available to the EU Commission. Rather, there was a problem of leaders failing to use them. “Before you put the spoiler on the Audi, why don’t you just hit the gas first,” he said, arguing that courts should enforce laws already in place before enacting new ones.
The panellists also discussed the role that politicians play in upholding the rule of law and argued that Germany could take on more of a leadership role in Brussels. On this note, he also stressed the power the political actors have at the European level, where Germany and France have supported cases against Poland and Hungary for violating conditionality laws. “This was a powerful sign that Germany and France were speaking up,” he commented, adding that he would like to see this happen more often.
Turning to enlargement, Brantner saw as a positive signal the shift that French President Emmanuel Macron has recently made. Once being against enlargement, Macron is now a friend to it, a change in position that reflects his focus shifting from agricultural to geopolitical concerns. Concerning the accession of the Western Balkans, Shahini worried that EU member states might no longer have the “appetite” for enlargement. Lacking a positive signal from the EU, countries in the region are turning to other countries like China for development models. We’re seeing a “streak of authoritarianism”, she added. For this reason, she argued that “having strict and fair rules for rule of law in the process of opening up to the Western Balkans would be the first step in showing that the process has credibility”.
Announcement of the Henrik Enderlein Fund
The third Henrik Enderlein Fellowship lecture also served to announce the new Henrik Enderlein Fund. “I am delighted to announce that in order to facilitate and honour his ideals, we have just established the Henrik Enderlein Fund, which supports the ongoing mission of the Jacques Delors Centre through scholarships to exceptional students, researchers, and policymakers,” said President Woll. “The fund plays a crucial role in academic excellence and supporting the next generation of great European minds.” The fund will finance scholarships to exceptional students, researchers and policymakers at the Jacques Delors Centre.
Donate to the Henrik Enderlein Fund
About the Henrik Enderlein Fellowship
The Henrik Enderlein Fellowship commemorates the Hertie School’s late president and founder of the Jacques Delors Centre Henrik Enderlein. It is awarded annually to outstanding personalities dedicated to a strong European Union and enables regular research stays at the Hertie School for scholars, policymakers and academics. The fellowship contributes to building networks that bring together stakeholders from science, policy and politics in tackling urgent issues on the European and national agenda. The Henrik Enderlein Fellowship is funded by Stiftung Mercator.