2022 edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities

The European Week of Regions and Cities 2022 is the biggest annual Brussels-based event dedicated to cohesion policy bringing together regions and cities from all over Europe, including politicians, administrators, experts and academics.

This year’s edition will provide an opportunity to communicate on the EU response to the post pandemic health, social and economic challenges.

It will focus on cohesion policy, the EU programmes for 2021-2027, as well as the EU's financial instruments for tackling the COVID-19 crisis and how they can make a difference in supporting a socially fair recovery but also in successfully managing the green and digital transition.

Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission (DG EMPL) will be present with the following sessions:

The Social Economy Action Plan - What's in it for regional and local authorities?      

Timing: 11/10/2022 9:30-11:00 > Workshop on Territorial Cohesion

The workshop will discuss support from and to local and regional authorities for building thriving social economy ecosystems. It will include an overview of existing resources and EU funding available to local and regional authorities and new opportunities opened by the Social Economy Action Plan. In addition, best practice examples by public authorities and stakeholders will be showcased.

Strengthening employment in driving sectors of the green transition at the regional level

Timing: 11/10/2022 11:30-13:00 > Participatory lab on Green Transition

This participatory lab will provide regional and local stakeholders, including social partners and civil society organisations, with a platform to showcase and exchange challenges and best practices in the context of the employment impacts of the green transition (i.e. re-and up-skilling, early retirement schemes in the context of phasing out and deep transformation of industries).

Regions tackling skills challenges for the green and digital transitions under the Pact for Skills

Timing: 11/10/2022 14:30-16:00 > Participatory lab on Green Transition

The session will allow regional and local stakeholders to share experiences of their own skilling actions to tackle the green and digital transitions. The Pact for Skills facilitates joint efforts for up- and reskilling of the EU’s working age population. It mobilises stakeholders to work together to pool resources and have greater impact.

ALMA: a boost for young people’s inclusion 

Timing: 11/10/2022 17:30-18:30 > Information session on Youth Empowerment

This info-session will provide practical tips on how to launch and implement ALMA. It will gather a panel of experts who will share their hands-on experience in mobility of disadvantaged young people. There will be examples of stories and good practices from EU-funded projects, including testimonials of young people who participated in a work-related experience in another Member State.

Can we break the vicious cycle of child poverty? The implementation of the European Child Guarantee at regional and local level    

Timing: 12/10/2022 16:00-17:00 > Information session on Territorial Cohesion

The information session will explain the aim, the functioning and the challenges related to the implementation of the European Child Guarantee. The focus will be on the cooperation of all relevant stakeholders at central, regional and local level to prepare, implement, monitor and evaluate national actions to improve the situation of children in need.

What the ESF Social Innovation+ initiative can do for regional and local stakeholders

Timing: 12/10/2022 17:30-18:30 > Information session on Territorial Cohesion

This info-session will present the new European Commission initiative ESF Social Innovation+, aiming at facilitating and boosting the transfer and upscaling of social innovations throughout the EU. Participants will get first-hand information on the upcoming EU-level calls for proposals and the activities of the EU Competence Centre for Social Innovation, focusing particularly on opportunities for local and regional stakeholders.

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All sessions are organised digitally by default with possible limited in-person participation. The full programme will be published in August and registration starts on 31 August via the website of the #EURegionsweek.