On January 9, 2025, the conference “Remembering the Big Bang: Polish Reflections on the 2004 EU enlargement” was held at SGH Warsaw School of Economics. The event was organized by the College of Eastern Europe (KEW) in cooperation with the SGH European Union Society and the SGH High School under the honorary patronage of the Rector of SGH. The conference took place within the framework of the EU-funded project “(Re)uniting the East and West: Reflections on the 2004 EU enlargement.”
The discussion revolved around the largest enlargement of the European Union in 2004, known as the “Big Bang,” and its consequences in the context of current challenges, such as democratic backsliding, rising Euroscepticism, and high levels of corruption in some countries. It also served as an opportunity to draw lessons from the past for the current integration process of the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries (Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia).
The conference began with opening remarks by Adam Balcer, Program Director of KEW, Jana Juzova, Senior Research Fellow from the Europeum Institute (the project’s leader), and Dr. Barbara Trzcińska, Director of the SGH High School.
This was followed by an inaugural lecture by Professor Jan Barcz, who highlighted the historical significance of the 2004 EU enlargement and its impact on the political and economic stabilization of Central and Eastern Europe. Professor stressed also a key importance of the EU integration for the entrenchment of democracy and rule of law in the region.
The expert panel discussion featured contributions from Professor Małgorzata Molęda-Zdziech, Dr. Iryna Degtyarova, and Professor Artur Nowak-Far. The panelists addressed topics such as the impact of Poland’s EU membership on society and the media, the significance of Ukraine’s EU candidacy in the context of the ongoing war, and the economic challenges facing Poland after 20 years of membership. The discussion was moderated by Professor Krzysztof Tymicki. The panelists underscored Poland’s role as a country that can inspire the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries on their path towards the EU. They highlighted the need of the EU to address effectively challenges such as democratic backsliding and rising Euroscepticism. However, they pointed out the need to deal effectively with the EU’s internal problems, such as the dismantling of the rule of law and the growth of support for radical parties that contest European values.
Following the expert discussion, Adam Dąbrowski-Thing from the SGH High School presented a poster that won the competition concerning the 20th anniversary of Poland’s accession to the EU organized by KEW. The presentation was followed by an intergenerational civic panel featuring Wiktor Włochacz (SGH European Union Society), Natalia Różańska (Foundation My Future), Jarosław Jan Pobihon (Young Diplomats Forum), and Włodzimierz Laszewski (SGH University of the Third Age). The participants shared with the audience their personal reflections on Poland’s accession to the EU and the future of the European Union.
