Roundtable: “35 Years Since the Fall of the Berlin Wall: What Is Europe’s Path Forward?”

To mark the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, CEI International Affairs, in collaboration with the Young European Federalists (an organization in which several of our students are active), organized a roundtable discussion to reflect on the future of the European Union in the context of ongoing global transformations. 

The event featured contributions from Fernando Perpiñá-Robert, CEI instructor for the Diplomatic Career preparation course and former Spanish ambassador to Germany during the fall of the Wall; Joaquim Llimona, Director General of CEI; and Pablo Pareja, researcher at IBEI, Vice-Rector at UPF, and expert on EU-China relations. 

The roundtable was structured around three thematic blocks: 

In the first block, the discussion focused on the most significant achievements of the EU in recent decades, such as the Lisbon Treaty, the creation of the Eurozone, and the development of initiatives like Erasmus and Next Generation EU. The speakers also reflected on how public perception of the EU has evolved—from the optimism of the 1980s to today’s context marked by increasing internal fragmentation. 

The second block addressed the political and social challenges within Europe, including the rise of populism and far-right movements. Debate centered on the growing polarization between Eastern and Western European countries, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine, a conflict that continues to strain the Union’s strategic cohesion. 

The third block explored the EU’s role on the international stage. Key topics included the trade war with China, the pressing need for greater strategic autonomy, and the EU’s defense and security policies. Other crucial issues such as diversifying strategic resources, the role of NATO, and industrial policy to preserve European competitiveness were also discussed. 

The roundtable concluded by reaffirming the European Union’s commitment to integration and cooperation in an increasingly globalized and challenging world. The event not only offered a comprehensive analysis of current challenges, but also served as a moment to reflect on the role of the EU in the decades to come. 

Watch the roundtable here!