Vienna – ESI at Tallinn Group meeting

Participants of Tallinn Group meeting in Vienna. Kristof second from the right. Photo: Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs.

ESI's deputy chairperson Kristof Bender was invited to participate in a meeting of the Tallinn Group, an informal coalition of EU member states that supports and promotes the EU enlargement process. Its members include Austria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

The 36th meeting, held on 17 April 2026, was hosted by the Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs in Vienna. Kristof delivered a presentation on ESI's ideas for reviving the EU accession process through the introduction of Single Market membership and access to the Four Freedoms as an interim step on the path towards full EU membership. His presentation was followed by feedback from participants and a discussion held under Chatham House rules.

• ESI proposal: Offer the four freedoms to Ukraine, Moldova and the Balkans
• EUobserver, If the EU wants enlargement, now it’s time to put money on the table, 12 December 2025
• IWM, Kristof Bender, EU Enlargement and Europe’s Future. How to Revive One of the EU’s Most Successful Policies, 14 September 2023