Time and location
The 24th edition will take place from 12 to 14 October 2026 in Brussels at:
Opening Ceremony: Paul-Henri SPAAK (PHS), European Parliament Hemicycle, Brussels
CoR venue: Jacques Delors Building (JDE), Rue Belliard 101, Brussels
DG REGIO venue: External venue, Brussels (details to be provided shortly)
Regional Partnerships may also host events at their Brussels offices at their own expense.
Motto
The motto for EURegionsWeek 2026 is: Strong regions, strong Europe.
Building strong regions lies at the heart of cohesion policy: the European Union supports regions so that Europeans can thrive where they live, businesses and new ideas can flourish, and communities can benefit from quality services.
Yet regions across the Union face very different realities: from common geopolitical pressures to specific territorial challenges, from demographic change to economic developments, from skills shortages to the need to strengthen essential services.
As challenges differ, so too must solutions: they should be place-based and tailored to local and regional needs. This year’s European Week of Regions and Cities will be an important opportunity to exchange ideas, grow partnerships and share experience on how cohesion policy can help every region succeed. Because when our regions are strong, Europe is strong.
Programme
Monday 12 October
Opening session
Partner sessions
Tuesday 13 October
High-level session
Partner sessions
REGIOSTARS Pitches
Wednesday 14 October
High-level session
Partner sessions
Megalizzi–Niedzielski Prize ceremony
REGIOSTARS Awards ceremony
In 2026, the EURegionsWeek will feature a variety of sessions, networking, and activities designed to maximise engagement and interactivity:
EU Sessions are coordinated by the event organisers, and include:
The Opening Ceremony in the European Parliament hemicycle
The REGIOSTARS Awards ceremony celebrating outstanding projects
The Megalizzi–Niedzielski Prize, which honours young aspiring journalists
High-level sessions featuring prominent speakers
Partners' & Regional Partnership sessions: the organisers collaborate with partners to create content for EURegionsWeek. Sessions and activities, aligned with the year's motto, are coordinated by the partners after a rigorous application and selection process.
Networking opportunities: including exhibition, tastings and evening gatherings, ensuring a dynamic and impactful experience for partners and participants.
Local & regional authority networks: the EURegionsWeek 2026 will highlight networks like Young Elected Politicians (YEPs) and EU Local Councillors. Selected members join in Brussels for dedicated programmes, featuring tailored sessions and exclusive activities.
Media programme: the EURegionsWeek 2026 welcomes journalists to engage with key stakeholders in Cohesion Policy. The media programme includes expert meetings, site visits, panel discussions and interviews. Journalists interested in attending and covering the event are encouraged to reach out for accreditation and further details.
EURegionsWeek Close to you: the EURegionsWeek Close to you sessions bring the event close to communities all across the EU and beyond. Applicants who cannot or do not wish to organise their session in Brussels during the EURegionsWeek can apply for a local session anywhere in Europe and beyond, while benefiting from the event promotion, branding and visibility. The EURegionsWeek Close to you programme will run from 12 October to 20 December.
Important: partners selected to organise EURegionsWeek Close to you sessions have full autonomy in organising their sessions. They are entirely responsible for the content, organisation, and management of their event (i.e. the online platform, if any, and participants registration, processing of personal data, the agenda and invitation of speakers and moderator, etc.), as well as any promotional actions (via social media, press, and web).
The EURegionsWeek organisers may in no way be considered responsible for any organisational, logistical or content-related aspects of the EURegionsWeek Close to you sessions.
Session formats
The 2026 edition offers a variety of session formats to foster engagement, collaboration and knowledge sharing:
Political/Policy Debates (90 minutes): a chance for political leaders, policymakers, local authorities, elected politicians and MEPs to exchange ideas, gather feedback and develop strategies on Cohesion Policy.
Workshops (90 minutes): active sessions designed to share experiences and good practices while fostering collaboration.
EURegionsTalk (30 minutes): short, engaging sessions designed to inspire discussion and showcase innovative ideas, TED-style Talks.
Exhibition stands and tastings: stands showcasing EU projects, funding and expert knowledge, and European regional gastronomy tastings.
