Europe of Different Challenges – Should European Foreign Policy Be Regional?

Luiza Hoxhaj– Keynote Speech in 

33rd  Economic Forum 

                                3-5 September 2024 under the topic:

                                   "Shaping the Future Together", 

                               Golebiewski Hotel in Karpacz, Poland

 

Good morning, everyone.

My name is Luiza Hoxhaj, and I’m honored to speak today on a timely and important question:

“Europe of Different Challenges – Should European Foreign Policy Be Regional?”

In my view, this is more than a theoretical debate. It’s a practical question that touches the heart of how Europe can remain strong, united, and effective in an increasingly fragmented world.

Today, Europe faces a broad spectrum of challenges:
From security threats and migration flows, to energy dependency, climate change, and digital transformation.
And the reality is — not all challenges are felt equally across the continent.
Some are more acute in the East, others in the South, some affect border regions or small states disproportionately.

So what can be done?

One possible path forward is to embrace regionalization — not as a division, but as a way to make foreign policy more flexible, more responsive, and above all, more inclusive.

Let me explain.

We often talk about “European foreign policy” as if it’s a single voice. But in practice, foreign policy remains largely in the hands of national governments — and consensus is hard to reach among 27 diverse member states.

Regionalizing certain aspects of foreign policy doesn’t mean fragmenting the Union. On the contrary, it may be the key to strengthening it.

A regional approach could allow groups of countries facing common external challenges — for example, in the Mediterranean, the Baltics, or the Western Balkans — to coordinate more closely, act more swiftly, and speak with more relevance.

This leads us to a broader concept — sometimes called a “multi-speed Europe”.
An EU where countries integrate at different speeds in different areas — not by weakening unity, but by advancing together in a flexible, cooperative way.

To better understand this, it helps to look at Europe through the lens of its four macro-regions:

1.    Western Europe – the traditional political and economic core, with countries like France, Germany, and the Benelux.

2.    Northern Europe – known for its innovation, strong institutions, and global outlook.

3.    Southern Europe – facing particular challenges in migration, climate resilience, and economic recovery.

4.    Southeastern Europe, including the Western Balkans – a region still outside the EU core, but closely linked through geography, history, and aspiration.

Each region brings unique strengths and concerns. And each could contribute differently, but meaningfully, to a common European foreign policy — if we allow space for regional voices to shape the continental agenda.

Let me pause here to briefly focus on the Western Balkans, as a real-world test case.

The Western Balkans — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia — lie at the strategic heart of Europe. Yet they remain outside the EU.

Their integration process has been long, complex, and often frustrating — for both sides.

But here's the point: this region offers a powerful opportunity to test regionalized foreign policy in action.

Why?

Because the Western Balkans share common challenges: From post-conflict recovery, to migration routes, to energy interdependence and digital infrastructure.

Bringing the region into EU frameworks — not just eventually through accession, but now through foreign policy dialogue, security cooperation, and economic projects — could strengthen both the region and the Union.

It’s not just about enlargement.

It’s about inclusion.

About using regional engagement as a tool for stability, resilience, and shared strategy.

Now, of course, there are risks.

Regionalization must not create fragmentation or two-tier membership.
It must be guided by EU principles, and connected to the broader vision of unity and solidarity.

But done right, it can be a bridge between diversity and cohesion.

So, to answer the question we started with:

Should European foreign policy be regional?

I believe it must be — to reflect the diversity of challenges, the speed of geopolitical shifts, and the need for smart, scalable cooperation.

But regionalization should not be seen as a threat to EU unity.
On the contrary — it could become the very mechanism that makes unity work in the 21st century.

Thank you.

4 September 2024

Karpacz, Poland