On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Accords, this Ladenburg Roundtable will take a critical perspective on the future of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). It will focus on the following key questions: Does the OSCE have a future in view of the current geopolitical tensions? And if so, what tasks can it assume in the future? What role does the USA play in an organization characterized by growing alienation between that country and Europe? Should an attempt be made to still keep Russia involved in the work of the OSCE – unlike in the Council of Europe? And if so, in what way?

This event will also address fundamental issues regarding the OSCE’s structure, its ability to act, and its relevance. Academics from various disciplines, along with practitioners, will together discuss the key question “Quo vadis, OSCE?” and sound out perspectives for the future role of the organization.

The Helsinki Accords, adopted in 1975, established a new format of confidence-building measures within the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) in the form of three so-called “baskets” – security policy, economic and technical cooperation, and human rights. These greatly contributed to easing tensions in the Cold War and ultimately to overcoming the confrontation between the power blocs in Europe. The spirit of new departure after 1990 culminated in the Charter of Paris for a new Europe, the transformation of the CSCE into the OSCE (1994) and establishment of new institutions such as the position of the High Commissioner on National Minorities or the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), along with innovative conflict-resolving formats such as the Moscow Mechanism.

Since the mid-2000s, however, the OSCE has been faced with increasing challenges – both externally, for example in the form of new threats to security and violent conflicts, and internally, due to blockages in the decision-making process. At the latest with Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the war of aggression against Ukraine since 2022, the future of the OSCE is now more uncertain than ever. Against the background of these developments, the Ladenburg Roundtable will not only discuss the future viability of the OSCE, but also set the scene for ongoing research.