Open-Days-2013-Logo
The OPEN DAYS - 11th European Week of Regions and Cities will take place in Brussels from 7 to 10 October 2013. The largest annual event devoted entirely to regional policy is being once again jointly organised by the Committee of the Regions and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, in partnership with 200 regions and cities from 30 countries. A hundred workshops and debates will be held in Brussels whilst another 200-300 local events are being organised all over Europe.
The 2013 edition is being organised under the slogan 'Taking off for 2020' focusing on regions' and cities' commitment in preparing and delivering their cohesion policy programmes for the period 2014-2020, worth a total of EUR 345 billion in EU funding.
The OPEN DAYS is the biggest annual event on regional and urban development, offering around 6,000 local, regional, national and European decision-makers, experts, academia and business representatives an opportunity to meet and exchange ideas. EU institutions, local authorities in charge of the management of structural funds and regional policy beneficiaries will be provided with a forum where they can exchange know-how and information on how to approach regional and urban development in the next programming period. It will also be an opportunity to capitalise on the wealth of experiences and showcase results of the 2007-2013 programmes.
The event's agenda will focus on the EU's growth strategy - Europe 2020 - with 100 workshops and debates structured around three thematic priorities:
- Managing change 2014-2020
- Synergies and cooperation
- Challenges and solutions
This year the "100 EUrban solutions " exhibition will showcase good practice in urban development. The case studies will be displayed in a range of different spaces in Brussels during the four days including at the EU's Committee of the Regions, in the European Commission premises, as well as other venues and outdoor public spaces in the European quarter.
The OPEN DAYS University, where academics, practitioners, EU officials and other interested participants exchange views and test new academic concepts related to regional and urban policies, will be extended to include a Master Class for selected PhD students and early career researchers in the field of regional policy.
Following the success of last year's competition the 'Europe in my Region' photo competition will once again be organised by the European Commission and the presentation of the finalists of the RegioStars Awards will be also on the agenda.
More info: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/conferences/od2013/index.cfm
Author: Committee of the Regions
