What it is
The European Week of Regions and Cities (#EURegionsWeek) is the EU’s largest event on cohesion policy, the funding behind many regional and urban projects. It is organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy and the European Committee of the Regions. It began in 2003, when regional offices in Brussels opened their doors to policy experts, according to the organisers. Participation is free and the working language is English.
The 24th edition ran from 12 to 14 October 2026 in Brussels under the motto “Strong regions, strong Europe”. The opening was held in the European Parliament hemicycle, and sessions took place at the Committee of the Regions’ Jacques Delors building and at the SQUARE convention centre. The organisers counted around 5,000 participants, against more than 6,500 in 2025 and over 7,000 on site in 2024.
How the programme works
Most of the programme is made by partners: regions, cities, networks and other organisations apply, and the organisers select their sessions. Formats in 2026 were 90-minute policy debates and workshops, 30-minute “EURegionsTalks”, and exhibition stands with regional tastings. The organisers run the EU sessions themselves: the opening, high-level sessions, the REGIOSTARS Awards for EU-funded projects and the Megalizzi–Niedzielski Prize for young journalists. The 2026 edition page also lists dedicated programmes for young elected politicians and EU local councillors, and a media programme.
The “Close to you” strand lets selected partners hold local sessions anywhere in Europe and beyond under the event’s branding. In 2026 it runs until 20 December, and the local organisers handle their own content and registration.
Who goes and how to take part
The audience includes politicians, public officials at every level, policymakers, academics, journalists, the private sector and civil society. To attend in person you register for individual sessions through EU Login and complete your ID details; places are first come, first served, and the 2026 deadline was 30 September.
Why it matters for cities
For a city or region that receives cohesion funding, this is where the Commission and the Committee of the Regions discuss the direction of that policy, and where funded projects are shown and compared. A partner session or a “Close to you” event is also a way to present local work under an EU banner.
Following from home
Several EU sessions in 2026 were webstreamed, and most other sessions in the Jacques Delors building were recorded and posted on their session pages. Recordings and a photo gallery are linked from the closing news item. The 2027 dates have not been announced.