Ireland and Denmark EU50 Celebration

The Permanent Representations of Ireland and Denmark to the EU jointly organised a panel event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of both countries voting to become members of the European Union. It took place in Bibliothèque Solvay in Brussels on 30 September 2022.

The first of two panels tackled the subject of ‘The External Role and Geopolitics of the EU’. This was discussed by Anne Anderson, former Ambassador of Ireland to the EU, the US and the UN, Suzanne Kingston, Judge of the General Court of the EU, and Carsten Grønbech-Jensen, State Secretary for European Affairs and the Arctic at the Danish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. It was moderated by Bo Lidegaard, historian and partner in the climate advisory firm Kaya Advisory.

The second panel was on the topic ‘Internal Affairs of the EU – Past achievements, current challenges’, discussed by John Bruton, former Taoiseach of Ireland and EU Ambassador to the US, Kim Jørgensen, Director General and permanent representative of EIB to the EU institutions, and Connie Hedegaard, former European Commissioner for Climate Action. It was moderated by Suzanne Lynch, Chief Brussels Correspondent, POLITICO.

Discussions focused on the role of small countries in the EU, with particular reference to how Ireland and Denmark have worked to maximize their influence over the last fifty years. Panelists also discussed issues ranging from Enlargement to Ukraine and the recent response to COVID.