EVENING EVENT

Festive Reception

Sunday 28th September 2025
8 PM

Salzburg Residence, Carabinieri Hall

Residenzplatz 1, 5020 Salzburg

MUSICAL INTERLUDE

Kolarac Foundation Belgrade, Serbia

For registered guests of the 21st Salzburg Europe Summit.

30 YEARS AUSTRIA IN EU

30 Years Austria in EU

Monday 29th September 2025
9 AM

Salzburg Congress,  Europasaal

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg

LIVESTREAM

EUROPEAN ANTHEM

High School Maxglan

Music class

WELCOME

Franz Schausberger

Chairman of the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE)

OPENING

Bernhard Auinger

Mayor of City of Salzburg

Karoline Edtstadler

Designated Governor of Salzburg

„Austria - 30 years member in the EU“

With Austria's accession to the European Union on January 1, 1995, a new chapter in our country's history began. EU membership opened up numerous new opportunities for Austria; it was a decision for stability, cooperation, peace, and prosperity. Austria has benefited greatly from the EU's open trade policy, opening up access to a huge market for our exports. As an EU member, Austria has profited from the stable euro currency and the Union's economic strength. Our country has been granted access to various funding programs, primarily to support agriculture and regional development. Austrian citizens can work, live, and study in other EU countries. By participating in EU research and innovation programs, Austria has been able to strengthen its position in science and technology and benefit from financial grants. EU membership enables our country to exert political influence on the European stage, particularly in matters of foreign policy, trade, and security.

In the future, we must all work together to continuously improve the EU. For example, we must reduce bureaucracy and administrative burdens, which businesses and citizens perceive as too bureaucratic and cumbersome. Another important issue is migration: Austria has repeatedly expressed concerns about immigration affecting the labor market and social infrastructure. European agricultural policy is another point of contention. Austria, which has a strong agricultural sector, is calling for stronger and fairer support for domestic farmers. Austria fundamentally supports the EU's course on climate protection but calls for greater consideration of competitiveness. Austria calls for greater adherence to the principle of subsidiarity, which states that decisions should be made at the lowest political level wherever possible. Austria sees an increasing centralization of power at the EU level in some areas.

We discuss with the key players involved in Austria's accession to the EU in 1995 their views on Austria's prospects in the EU.

TALK

Johannes Hahn

Frm. EU-Commissioner (2010 – 2024)

Franz Vranitzky   (tbc)

Frm. Federal Chancellor (1986 – 1997)

Wolfgang Schüssel   (tbc)

Frm. Federal Chancellor. (2000 – 2007) & Foreign Minister (1995 – 2000)

MODERATION

Waltraud Langer

Director ORF Salzburg 

DIALOGUE I

Europe - is there hope?

Monday 29th September 2025
10 AM

Salzburg Congress,  Europasaal

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg

LIVESTREAM

MODERATION

Christian Ultsch

dep. Editor-in-Chief, Head of Foreign Policy, Die Presse

EUROPE - IS THERE HOPE?

Petr Pavel    (tbc)

State President of the Czech Republick

Kaja Kallas   (tbc)

High Representative for Foreign- and Security Politics, European Commission

Christian Stocker   (tbc)

Federal Chancellor of Austria

Representative of the Government of Germany   (tbc)

TALK - IS EUROPE COMPETITIVE?

Andreas Klauser

CEO of PALFINGER AG

Adam Szłapka    (tbc)

EU-Minister, Poland

EU AND MIGRATION

Magnus Brunner   (tbc)

EU-Commissioner for Migration & Interior

Lars Løkke Rasmussen   (tbc)

Foreign Minister of Denmark, Representative of Presidency of the Council of the EU, 2025

DIALOGUE II

Moldova: Hope for EU accession?

Monday 29th September 2025
12 AM

Salzburg Congress,  Europasaal

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg

LIVESTREAM

The EU-Moldova Association Agreement was signed on June 27, 2014. This agreement commits the Republic of Moldova to economic, judicial, and financial reforms to align its policies and legislation with those of the EU. The Republic of Moldova has been seeking accession to the European Union (EU) since 2022. It officially applied for membership in March 2024 and was granted candidate status in June of the same year. Formal accession negotiations began in June 2024. A referendum was held in Moldova in October 2024, in which a narrow majority of 50.39 percent of voters favored opening accession negotiations with the EU. However, there were concerns about possible Russian interference in the electoral process.

Despite these challenges, Moldova continues its efforts and aims to join the EU by 2030. To achieve this goal, the country is working to implement the necessary political and economic reforms required for EU membership.

The necessary structural reforms in Moldova include:

• Improving economic efficiency
• Reducing corruption
• Better enforcement of property rights
• Reducing the size of state-owned enterprises
• Improving energy efficiency
• Improving the labor market

In this panel, high-ranking politicians, experts and business professionals will discuss whether there is hope for Moldova's (soon) accession to the EU.



MODERATION

Michael Martens

Correspondent Southeastern Europe, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung FAZ

KEYNOTE

Cristina Gherasimov

Deputy Prime Minister for EU-Integration, Moldova   

TALK

Emil Hurezeanu  (tbc)

Foreign Minister of Romania

Claudia Plakolm   (tbc)

EU Minister, Austria

PANEL

Marie Dumoulin   (tbc)

Director Wider Europe, European Council on Foreign Relations, France

Claudia Hermes

Director of GIZ in Moldova

Andreas Kiefer

Frm. Secretary General of Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe (2010 – 2022)

DIALOGUE III

Security of energy supply in Europe

Monday 29th September 2025

2.30 PM

Salzburg Congress,  Europasaal

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg

LIVESTREAM

MODERATION

Gundula Geiginger

Puls 4

KEYNOTE

Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer   

Minister for Economy and Energy, Austria

PANEL

Ditte Juul Jørgensen  (tbc)

Director General, DG Energy, European Commission

Michael Strugl

CEO of VERBUND AG

DIALOGUE IV

Mobility as motor for European integration

Monday 29th September 2025

3.30 PM

LIVESTREAM

Mobility plays a central role as a driver of European integration by promoting various dimensions of connectivity in Europe. It enables the free movement of citizens within the EU, a core principle of the EU. This means that people can travel, work, and live in other member states without restrictions. This mobility makes the labor market more flexible and open. Furthermore, mobility promotes cross-border trade and investment.

In the field of education and research, programs such as Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020 promote the mobility of students, teachers, and researchers within Europe. Mobility in education also contributes to strengthening European identity, as people from different cultural backgrounds come into contact and develop a better understanding of the diversity within the Union. Culture and tourism also benefit from the interaction of different European cultures and traditions. This promotes a stronger sense of European community and understanding.

Mobility also supports political dialogue and cooperation between EU member states. By bringing people from different countries into contact with each other, cross-border issues such as environmental policy, security, and human rights are discussed more intensively. Furthermore, mobility promotes exchange about political systems and the development of shared values.

Overall, mobility contributes to overcoming barriers, be they economic, social, or political. It strengthens ties between Member States and supports the creation of a common European market and closer cooperation in many areas. Mobility creates a sense of belonging to a common European community, which ultimately strengthens European integration.

Salzburg Congress,  Europasaal

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg

MODERATION

Werner Sejka

Puls 4

KEYNOTE

Apostolos Tzitzikostas

EU Commissioner for Sustainable Mobility & Tourism

INTERVIEW

Peter Hanke   (tbc)

Minister for Traffic, Innovation & Technology, Austria

PANEL

Dragos Anastasiu   (tbc)

President Eurolines Romania

Representative of ÖBB Austrian Federal Railways  (tbc)

Ouriana Georgoutsakou  (tbc)

Managing Director Airlines for Europe (A4E)

WORKSHOP

Workshop  IRE - AED

Monday 29th September 2025
5.15 PM

Salzburg Congress

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg

MODERATION

Gerhard Walcher

Member of the Board of Trustees of IRE

OPENING

Franz Schausberger

Chairman of the Institute of the Regions of Europe (IRE)

Dietmar Hampel

Managing Director of aed



WORKSHOP II

Side-Event: Topic  TBC

In cooperation with the Multilateral Dialogue - Konrad-Adenauer Foundation

Monday 29th September 2025
5.15 PM

Salzburg Congress

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg



EVENING EVENT

Salzburg Evening

Monday 29th September 2025
7 PM

Augustiner Bräu Kloster Mülln

Lindhofstrasse 7, 5020 Salzburg

The “Bräustübl”, the largest beer restaurant in Austria, has been around since 1621 – more than 400 years ago. The beer comes from wooden barrels and is served in stone mugs, accompanied by traditional dishes. Participants of the Salzburg Europe Summit have the opportunity to have interesting, informal conversations and network in a friendly atmosphere. The Bräustübl is a place of encounter, of tradition - a piece of living history in the center of Salzburg's world cultural heritage.

WELCOME

Helmut Falschlehner

Member of the Board of IRE

MUSIC

Ensemble DANICA

Head: Zoran Šijaković

DIALOGUE V

The Future of the Circular Economy

An event held during the Austria-Liechtenstein EUSALP Presidency

EUSALP - EU Macroregional Strategy for the Alpine Region

Tuesday, 22nd October 2024
9 AM

Salzburg Congress,  Herbert von Karajan Saal

Auerspergstrasse 6, 5020 Salzburg

LIVESTREAM

MODERATION

TBC

INTRODUCTION

Harald Stranzl

Ambassador, Coordinator EUSALP, Foreign Ministry of Austria

PANEL

TBC

EXCURSIONS

Excursions - best practice

Tuesday, 30th September 2025

12 AM

Venue TBC