Preparations for the 18th European Week of Regions and Cities have already started! The event will be held from 12 to 15 October 2020.

The Kick-Off meeting of the 18th European Week of Regions and Cities is scheduled on Thursday 30 January 2020 – 11:00 at the European Commission. The Kick-Off meeting will be web-streamed and questions can also be asked on social media using the hashtag #EURegionsWeek.

The European Week of Regions and Cities is an annual four-day event during which cities and regions showcase their capacity to create growth and jobs, implement European Union cohesion policy, and prove the importance of the local and regional level for good European governance.

The event was created in 2003 when the European Committee of the Regions invited Brussels-based local and regional representations to the European Union to open their doors to visitors simultaneously. One year later the European Commission's DG for Regional Policy also joined the adventure.

Developing from the initial concept, the event has become a European networking platform for experts in regional and local development. Exchange of good practice in economic development and social inclusion, cross-border cooperation, public-private partnerships, regional innovation and community-led local development have become some of its many topics.

Over the years, the event has grown into the key event on EU Regional Policy. It welcomes some 6.000 participants in October each year (local, regional, national and European decision-makers and experts) for more than 100 workshops and debates, exhibitions and networking opportunities.