Important information for applicants
Selected partners will be responsible for organising their own session.
If you wish to organise a session, you are asked to carefully read and follow the guidelines when applying and/or contributing to the event. Please ensure you comply with the indicated deadlines and obligations.
How and when to apply?
Proposals must be submitted via the official application form accessible via the event website until 11 May 2025 (12:00 Brussels time).
The deadline for submitting #EURegionsWeek close to you session proposals is 11 July 2025 (12:00 Brussels time). Candidates whose applications are not selected in the official programme will have the opportunity to re-apply as an #EURegionsWeek close to you session until this time.
Partner eligibility
Applicants should be from/or have an established residence in an EU Member State or a country contributing to/participating in an EU programme. They must fall under one of the following categories to be eligible to become an official partner of the EURegionsWeek:
- Local and regional authorities and associations thereof
- Managing Authorities of EU funds
- EU institutions and institutional partners
- European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTCs)
- Public-private partnerships
- Associations and institutions contributing to/participating in an EU programme
Applications submitted by two or more associated partners will be given priority during the selection process (apart from the EURegionsTalks formats).
Regional Partnerships
To apply as a Regional Partnership:
- Your group must be exclusively composed of local or regional authorities
- The partnership must have a minimum of four and a maximum of eight regions or cities, towns or provinces from at least two countries, at least one partner coming from the EU. Partners looking for a partnership can use our Partner Search Tool. The request will be uploaded to the #EURegionsWeek website weekly until 25 April
- At least one elected member of the European Committee of the Regions and/or a local or regional political representative is required to participate as a speaker
- The participation of Members of the European Parliament and any other high level political representative is strongly recommended
Regional Partnership sessions are hosted either at the European Committee of the Regions (subject to availability of conference rooms) or at the venues of the applicants. Applicants can express their preference in the application form but the final decision on venue allocation is taken by the #EURegionsWeek organisers.
Format details
Applicants can choose from various session formats to create engaging and dynamic sessions. The number of speakers depends on the format.
Regional partnerships with more than four partners can include additional speaker interventions.
Duration: 90 minutes
3 speakers + 1 moderator
Venue: CoR JDE and Square
Important: Applicants should pick one of the interactive formats below and specify it in the proposed session title.
Participatory Labs
Focus: Participatory Labs are designed to foster experience-sharing, highlight best practices, and collaboratively explore solutions to concrete challenges faced by European communities and regions. These sessions also encourage cooperation and networking among participants.
Format: Held in a dynamic and interactive setting, these sessions feature facilitated group discussions at dedicated tables, where participants actively engage in exchanging ideas and solutions to shared issues.
Expected Outcome: The development of innovative solutions to address specific challenges.
Best Suited For: applications involving at least two partner organisations.
Audience Engagement: a minimum of 45 minutes of active participation.
Hackathon
Focus: These sessions bring together problem solvers to collaborate intensively, strategise on creative projects and develop solutions to shared challenges. The goal is to design, build and present the most innovative approach to a specific problem, culminating in a final concept, prototype or presentation for stakeholders.
Audience Engagement: a minimum of 45 minutes of active participation.
Innovation Sprints
Description: Teams collaborate intensively to develop innovative solutions for specific regional challenges.
Format: The session begins with focused brainstorming, followed by rapid prototyping and concludes with presentations.
Outcome: Practical, innovative solutions that can be further refined and developed.
Ideal for: Encouraging creativity and fostering rapid problem-solving.
Audience Engagement: a minimum of 45 minutes of active participation.
- Introduction and challenge briefing: 15 minutes
- Brainstorming session: 30 minutes
- Rapid prototyping: 30 minutes
- Presentation preparation: 5 minutes
- Presentations and feedback: 10 minutes
Data-Driven Debates
Description: Structured debates where data and visualisations are central to supporting arguments.
Format: Two sides present evidence-backed arguments on a relevant topic, with audience participation through voting.
Outcome: Participants gain fresh insights and perspectives through evidence-based discussions.
Ideal for: Showcasing expertise or presenting innovative EU datasets.
Audience Engagement: a minimum of 45 minutes of active participation.
- Introduction and topic overview: 15 minutes
- First side presents: 10 minutes
- Second side presents: 10 minutes
- Rebuttals and open discussion: 30 minutes
- Audience voting and results: 10 minutes
- Wrap-up and conclusion: 10 minutes
Duration: 90 minutes
4 speakers(at least one speaker must be an elected political representative) + 1 moderator
Venue: CoR JDE
An opportunity to exchange ideas, receive feedback, and share experiences, best practices and political strategies.
Format: The session includes presentations and video testimonials, followed by interactive discussions. Videos should be in English or another EU language with English subtitles.
Outcome: Participants will gain valuable insights into Cohesion Policy and develop strategies for enhancing local communities.
Ideal for: Political leaders, local and regional authorities, and policymakers working to advance Cohesion Policy.
Audience Engagement: a minimum of 30 minutes of active participation.
- Introduction and context: 10-15 minutes
- Presentations and video testimonials: 20-30 minutes
- Interactive discussions: 30-40 minutes
- Wrap-up and presentation of insights: 10-15 minutes
Duration: 60 minutes
3 speakers + 1 moderator
Venue: CoR JDE and Square
Focus on: sharing experiences, best practices and strategies, while fostering cooperation and networking.
Format: Sessions designed to keep participants engaged through discussions and hands-on activities.
Outcome: Promotes enhanced collaboration and the exchange of best practices.
Ideal for: Fostering active engagement, encouraging practical knowledge exchange and building strong networks among policymakers, regional & policy practitioners as well as other stakeholders.
Audience Participation: At least half of the session
- Introduction and context: 10 minutes
- Presentations and sharing of experiences: 15 minutes
- Interactive discussions and activities: 25 minutes
- Wrap-up and presentation of insights: 10 minutes
The EURegionsTalks are short sessions to foster engaging, impactful and interactive discussions during the #EURegionsWeek. This format offers diverse ways to share ideas, showcase projects and facilitate knowledge exchange, each tailored to deliver specific outcomes. The EURegionsTalk can be organised in one of the following ways:
Important: Applicants should pick one of the short formats below and specify it in the proposed session title.
PechaKucha
1 speaker
Venue: CoR JDE or Square
Pecha Kucha – which means "chatter" in Japanese, is a great visual storytelling tool that allows presenters to showcase an idea, project, product, using 20 images or slides, each displayed for 20 seconds, resulting in a total presentation time of exactly 6 minutes and 40 seconds.
Format: Short, timed presentations with 20 slides shown for 20 seconds each.
Outcome: Engaging and visually appealing presentations that convey ideas and stories effectively.
Ideal for: Delivering concise, high-impact presentations that capture attention and convey messages quickly.
Ted Talks /EU Talks
1 speaker
Venue:CoR JDE or Square
Short and concise speeches about an inspiring project, idea or best practise. Aims to spark interesting questions, exchanges and networking opportunities after the topic presentation.1
EU meets local
2 speakers
Venue:CoR JDE
This format is designed as an interactive exchange between Members of the CoR and the European Parliament, possibly including other technical and political staff from the European institutions and other national or regional representatives.
Proposed structure:
- Moderator briefly introduces the topic and key participants.
- A rapid pulse-check from representatives of each institution: what is their top priority for European and local policy in the next EU cycle?
- Institutional exchange (15 min). Structured but informal discussion focusing on a key challenge or opportunity.
Duration:throughout the event
2 speakers
Venue: Square
A stand showcasing EU project achievements, funding opportunities and expert knowledge.
One project per stand.
Logistics provided by organisers.
Duration: 4 hours
Venue: Square
Gastronomy stands showcasing regional European cuisine.
One region per stand.
Logistics provided by organisers.
Partners' Session: Date & Time
Partners' sessions will be held on 14-15 October 2025 in the following timeslots regardless of their duration:
- 09:30 – 11:00
- 11:30 – 13:00
- 14:30 – 16:00
- 16:30 – 18:00
The organisers will assign the date and time for each session; applicants cannot choose their slot.
Regional Partnerships hosting sessions at their own venue must align with these time slots.
Evaluation criteria
Evaluators will review all aspects of the session proposal, including the description, thematic priority, speakers, moderator and communication plan. Sessions must align with the chosen format and theme, as well as prioritising inclusivity, diversity and accessibility. Preference is given to sessions that offer relevant content, foster discussion and encourage networking.
- Joint applications from multiple entities will be prioritised.
- Organisers may suggest merging similar proposals to enhance the program.
- Late submissions will not be considered.
Selection Results
Selection results will be announced in mid-June and published on the platform. Selected partners will be invited to a meeting in mid-June.
If a session is accepted, the final title and programme must be updated by 30 June and the final list of confirmed speakers and the moderator must be submitted by 30 September.
For merged sessions, the lead coordinator must update the details in coordination with the other session’s coordinator.
Important: Organisers may cancel sessions that do not follow the guidelines or have fewer than 50 registered participants by the end of September 2025.
Reimbursement
Subject to applicable rules and availability of resources, the event organisers might be able to sponsor/reimburse part of the travel and accommodation expenses for a limited number of speakers per session.
Interpretation services
Sessions are conducted in English by default. Interpretation will only be available for a limited number of sessions, subject to availability, and with a maximum of two interpreted languages + English.
Session organisers can request interpretation in the application form. However, requesting interpretation does not guarantee its availability.
Interpretation is not offered for participatory and short formats.
Late requests for interpretation will not be accommodated.
Registration
Anyone planning to attend a session, including coordinators, speakers and moderators, must register in advance to gain access to the venue.
Pre-registration will be possible during the first two weeks of July.
For the EURegionsWeek close to you programme, the session coordinator is fully responsible for participant registration and all related logistics.
Partners' Commitments
Applicants must appoint at least two session coordinators who are responsible for the session’s content, preparation and follow-up. Coordinators serve as the main contact for EURegionsWeek organisers and must ensure smooth communication with other partners.
Coordinators are also responsible for briefing speakers and the moderator, ensuring timely contributions and guiding participants to achieve session objectives. The moderator must remain neutral.
Sessions must be free of charge, and commercial activities are not permitted. Partners must respect the #EURegionsWeek privacy policy and comply with EU copyright rules, ensuring proper consent and credit for any images used.
Partners organising the #EURegionsWeek close to you sessions have full autonomy, including session content, logistics, registration, data processing, and promotion. They must comply with GDPR rules when handling personal data and inform participants accordingly. Organisers are not responsible for the content or organisation of these sessions.
Sessions should be inclusive, ensuring balanced gender, age and geographical representation. Engaging youth and diverse speakers from public, private and civil sectors is highly encouraged. Sustainable practices, such as reducing paper use and avoiding plastic, should be adopted.
Partners must provide feedback on session scope, content and participant profiles via the event website (e-reporting). They are also expected to maintain high communication standards before, during and after the session, using EURegionsWeek branding and the hashtag #EURegionsWeek. Coordination with organisers for media activities is encouraged to ensure consistent messaging.
