2020 Central Europe Week: Charting a post COVID-19 future together

As the global community continues to grapple with the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Atlantic Council is open for business. Our business, meetings, and events, however, are occurring virtually. For more information, please read an update from our President and CEO.

Please join the Atlantic Council’s Future Europe Initiative for a virtual event series between October 26 and 30, 2020, highlighting how the United States and Central Europe can together help shape a common post-COVID-19 agenda.

The coronavirus pandemic has inflamed the challenges already facing the transatlantic alliance while also exposing new and unforeseen risks. In this historically uncertain time, cooperation and transparency among allies is needed more than ever to grapple with the threats we must navigate together. The United States and Central Europe are natural partners in enabling transatlantic action toward a common agenda for the post-pandemic future.

This event series explores such themes, and builds upon the Council’s inaugural US-Central Europe conference in 2019, “The United States and Central Europe: Celebrating Europe Whole and Free, Building the Next Century Together.” The conversations throughout the week will feature high-level policymakers and experts from the US and the region, while also highlighting our unique cultural connections.

Events

The US and Central Europe: Shaping the post-COVID-19 transatlantic agenda

ONLINE EVENT

The foreign ministers of the Visegrád Group countries outline actions toward a common post-pandemic agenda.

MON OCT 26, 11:45AM EDT

Resilience and recovery in the wake of the COVID crisis

ONLINE EVENT

The Polish V4 Presidency and the Atlantic Council bring experts from the US and Central Europe together to outline actions toward a common agenda for the post-pandemic future.

TUE OCT 27, 2:00PM EDT

Digitalization in Central and Eastern Europe: Building regional cooperation

ONLINE EVENT

Convinced of the role digitalization can play in Central and Eastern Europe’s economic future and encouraged by new momentum in the debate, the Atlantic Council convened a task force of US and CEE digital innovators, experts, and thought leaders. This event outlines the task force’s key findings and the critical role of regional cooperation to advance CEE digital transformation.

THU OCT 29, 8:00AM EDT

Securing the next century of US – Romanian partnership

ONLINE EVENT

Experts from the US and Romania gather to outline key challenges and opportunities for growth, prosperity, and security, both in the Black Sea region and Europe more broadly.

FRI OCT 30, 8:00AM EDT

Reports

Issue briefs and reports

Oct 19, 2020

The United States and Central Europe: A road map for a democratic post-pandemic agenda

By Daniel Fried, Jakub Wiśniewski, Denise Forsthuber, Alena Kudzko

“The United States and Central Europe: A Road Map for a Democratic Post-Pandemic Agenda” outlines these themes and advocates for a common US-Central European agenda in seeking a better post-COVID-19 world.

Central Europe Coronavirus

Report

Oct 28, 2020

Digitalization in Central and Eastern Europe: Building regional cooperation

By The Atlantic Council Task Force on Digitalization in Central and Eastern Europe and the Three Seas Initiative

Digitalization has been heralded as “the next engine of growth” for the economies of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the idea that digitalization can transform the region’s economic model has never been more relevant than amid the current coronavirus pandemic.

Central Europe Digital Policy

Related reading

Three Seas Initiative could help jumpstart Europe’s post-COVID recovery and green economy transformation

Buoyed by a new commercially managed investment fund and a $1 billion pledge from the United States, leaders from the Three Seas Initiative will convene for a summit on October 19 to move the project into its next stage.

Beyond 5G, Central Europe will be key to countering Chinese technological influence

In seeking to further roll back China’s influence, the US has targeted Huawei during its CEE visit as the Shenzhen-based telecoms-equipment manufacturer competes for a prominent role in the region’s cellular network infrastructure and 5G expansion.

The United States and Central Europe: Tasks for a second century together

After a century of work together, of tragedy and achievement, Central Europe and the United States have much to celebrate and defend, but also much to do.