European Week of Regions and Cities

European Week of Regions and Cities
Name	European Week of Regions and Cities
Status	Active
Genre	Regional policy forum
Frequency	Annual
Location	Brussels
Country	Belgium
First	2003
Organiser	Committee of the Regions
Participants	Cities, regions, policy-makers

Contents

European Week of Regions and Cities. The European Week of Regions and Cities is an annual forum held in Brussels that convenes regional and local actors, representatives from the European Commission, delegates from the European Parliament, members of the Committee of the Regions, and stakeholders from the Council of the European Union and European Investment Bank. It functions as a platform for exchanges between municipal officials from Madrid, Berlin, Rome, and Warsaw and specialist organisations such as Covenant of Mayors, Eurocities, CEMR, OECD and UN-Habitat. The Week combines plenaries, workshops, and networking tailored to practitioners from Catalonia, Bavaria, Lombardy, Île-de-France, and regions across the European Union, European Economic Area, and neighbouring Western Balkans.

Overview

The event assembles commissioners from the European Commission who coordinate with rapporteurs of the European Parliament and policy advisers from the Committee of the Regions alongside mayors from Barcelona, Paris, Lisbon, and Vienna. Panels routinely feature representatives from the European Investment Bank, experts from Banco Santander, delegations led by the Council of the European Union presidency, and observers from the European Court of Auditors. Sessions address funding instruments managed by European Structural and Investment Funds, projects supported by the Horizon Europe programme, and initiatives linked to the NextGenerationEU recovery plan.

Conceived in the early 2000s, the Week emerged following consultations involving the Committee of the Regions, the European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, and networks such as Assembly of European Regions and Eurocities. Early editions featured exchanges with cities that had hosted post-conference delegations from Rotterdam, Gdansk, and Bremen and included case studies referencing the Cohesion Fund, the European Regional Development Fund, and implications of the Lisbon Treaty. Over time the programme reflected policy debates sparked by crises linked to the 2008 financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical shifts related to Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Week aims to promote territorial cohesion by facilitating dialogue among elected figures from regional parliaments such as Landtag of Bavaria representatives, mayors from metropolitan authorities like Greater London Authority, and civil servants from Brussels-Capital Region. Core themes have included sustainable urban development inspired by United Nations Millennium Declaration successors, climate resilience tied to the Paris Agreement, green transition aligned with the European Green Deal, digital transformation in line with Digital Single Market initiatives, and social inclusion referenced by European Pillar of Social Rights. Cross-cutting topics often draw inputs from World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and specialised NGOs such as Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

Organisers coordinate between institutional partners: the Committee of the Regions provides political ownership, the European Commission supplies thematic DGs and funding, while logistical support comes from city authorities of Brussels and contracted providers including firms with experience in EURES mobility events. Steering committees include representatives from networks such as Council of European Municipalities and Regions and advisory bodies like the European Economic and Social Committee. Governance arrangements respect EU rules on transparency monitored by the European Ombudsman and auditing practices of the European Court of Auditors.

The programme blends plenary debates featuring commissioners from the European Commission and rapporteurs from the European Parliament with hands-on workshops organised by networks like Eurocities, Covenant of Mayors, ICLEI, and the European Committee of the Regions. Activities include peer review clinics, matchmaking sessions for projects seeking finance from the European Investment Bank and European Regional Development Fund, training modules from University College London and Sciences Po, and award ceremonies akin to the RegioStars Awards. Side events attract representatives from municipal utilities in Stockholm and cultural organisations such as European Cultural Foundation.

Participants range from mayors of Zagreb, councillors from Athens, regional ministers from Scotland, and urban planners from Helsinki to NGO advocates from Amnesty International and business delegations from BusinessEurope. Observers include delegations from accession countries in the Western Balkans and partner regions like North Africa and the Eastern Partnership. Audiences span practitioners, academics from institutions including University of Oxford, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, and Università di Bologna, consultants from firms like McKinsey & Company and PwC, and journalists from outlets such as Euractiv and Politico Europe.

The Week generates policy influence by informing legislative dossiers debated in the European Parliament and operational programmes financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds and the Cohesion Fund. Evaluations draw on monitoring frameworks used by the European Commission and assessments from independent think tanks like Bruegel, Centre for European Policy Studies, and European Policy Centre. Case studies showcased during sessions have catalysed investments from the European Investment Bank and partnerships with agencies including Interreg and the Joint Research Centre, while follow-up networks such as EUROCITIES and Assembly of European Regions track implementation and peer-learning outcomes.

Category:European Union events