European Week of Regions and Cities 2026
The European Week of Regions and Cities (#EURegionsWeek) is the EU’s biggest annual event dedicated to regional development and cohesion.
Organised by the European Commission’s DG REGIO and the Committee of the Regions, it brings together thousands of policymakers, practitioners, and experts to exchange ideas, spark collaboration, and showcase impactful initiatives.
For the 2026 edition, which will take place in Brussels, Belgium, on 12-14 October 2026, the theme is 'Strong regions, strong Europe'.
Building strong regions lies at the heart of cohesion policy, yet regions across Europe face various challenges: 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.
Register now for the partner sessions
Until 30 September, registrations are open for the partner sessions. POLIS and our members will be present at the event, and invite you to join us! Find out more below.
POLIS and member sessions
POLIS member Intermunicipal Community of Douro, together with POLIS and Magellan Circle, is organising an EURegionsTalk session on 'Reinventing Mobility in the Douro'.
In the Douro, reinventing mobility means creating better connections across a territory shaped by distance, terrain and dispersed communities. This talk shows how this UNESCO World Heritage Site is rethinking mobility through on-demand transport and stronger cooperation between municipalities, creating more flexible ways to connect people to healthcare, education, jobs and public services. Facing challenges shared by many rural regions across Europe, the Douro offers an inspiring example in the European debate on how regions can play a stronger role in developing mobility solutions that are better adapted, smarter and fairer, leading to competitiveness and greater territorial cohesion.
- When: Tuesday 13 October 2026 | 15:00 - 15:30 CET
- Where: Jacques Delors building, JDE 60 | Brussels, Belgium
Other member sessions
Additionally, POLIS members are participating in various sessions during the EURegionsWeek, bringing their expertise across a wide array of topics related to sustainable mobility and urban planning. Find out more below.
- Building sustainable, resilient and inclusive cities with local digital twins.
- Description: What if you could simulate the impact of new square designs, road networks, urban heat or flooding in an interactive 3D environment? Drawing on the Interreg North-West Europe project Twin4Resilience, Catalin Turlica will present how digital twins could make it possible.
- When: 12 October 2026 | 09:30 - 10:00 CET
- Where: Jacques Delors building, JDE 60 | Brussels, Belgium
- Featured POLIS members:
- Catalin Turlica, Project Manager, City of Brussels
- Imagine your city or region without public transport: Exploring the role of mobility in social inclusion, economic activity and regional resilience
- Description: Public transport is often taken for granted, until it stops working. This workshop explores how EU strength depends on resilient regions and cities and the public transport systems that keep them moving. Register here
- When: 12 October 2026 | 09:30 - 11:00 CET
- Where: Jacques Delors building, JDE 70 | Brussels, Belgium
- Featured POLIS members:
- Alberto Alonso Poza, Director, EMT Madrid
- Too many visitors, too little space? Managing tourism mobility in cities
- Description: This interactive workshop, organised by the EU Urban Mobility Observatory, invites you to explore how cities and regions can better manage tourism flows through integrated mobility planning. Register here
- When: 14 October 2026 | 11:00 - 12:30 CET
- Where: Square Brussels, Hall 300 | Brussels, Belgium
- Featured POLIS members:
- Françoise Guaspare, Representative, Ile-de-France Europe
- Nina Nesterova, Professor, Breda University of Applied Sciences
- Age-inclusive territories: addressing ageism for stronger European cohesion
- Description: This session will exchange best practices, demonstrating that tackling ageism is not only a social imperative but also a strategic opportunity to promote meaningful ageing, boost competitiveness, foster innovation, develop intergenerational fairness, and strengthen territorial cohesion. Register here
- When: 14 October 2026 | 11:00 - 12:30 CET
- Where: Square Brussels, Studio 313+315 | Brussels, Belgium
- Featured POLIS members:
- Lora Vidović, Head of Unit, City of Zagreb
- SYNERGY - Regions Powered by Innovation Intelligence & Funding. From Regional Assets to European Strength: Making Territorial Diversity Count.
- Description: To unlock Europe’s full potential and strengthen its strategic autonomy, regional linkages must improve, and structural barriers must be addressed through coordination. Discover the SYNERGY project and how it examines funding synergies, governance, and functional links shaping performance. Register here
- When: 14 October 2026 | 16:00 - 17:30 CET
- Where: Square Brussels, Studio 314+316 | Brussels, Belgium
- Featured POLIS members:
- Carola Schouten, Mayor, City of Rotterdam