Thursday, 16 Oct. 2025, 1:30 to 5:00 pm, in Brussels

Regions in Europe play a crucial role in addressing key challenges in Europe, such as demographic change, innovation and economic development, digitalisation, and climate adaptation. These developments have cross-border impacts and require integrated, coordinated approaches.

German federal states, such as North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Baden-Württemberg demonstrate how a strong territorial dimension in EU cohesion policy can actively promote sustainable regional development. These regional programmes link regional development strategies with targeted funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Further experiences from Germany and across Europe show a growing interest in integrated regional development, which increasingly includes rural areas in structural support.

How can EU funding better address the territorial dimension to promote integrated regional development in the future?

This is the central question to be explored in this expert dialogue that is organised in conjunction with the 2025 edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities. The discussion will focus on the findings of a study conducted by the German Association for Housing, Spatial and Urban Planning in partnership with IfS-Institut für Stadtforschung und Strukturpolitik and commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (BMWSB) and the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR). The study examines how EU structural funds have been used in Germany to support integrated regional development and derives strategic policy recommendations for the future design of EU cohesion policy.

Speakers and panelists will include representatives from EU institutions, national ministries and regional authorities including

• Hugo Sobral, Deputy Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission 
• Radim SrÅ¡eň, Member of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and Deputy Minister of Regional Development of the Czech Republic
• Vera Moosmayer, Head of the Directorate Spatial Development and Regional Planning, German Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building
• Tilman Buchholz, Head of Unit, German Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building
• Dr. Stefan van Heeck, Head of Division 'European Committee of the Regions - Interregional Cooperation', Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union
• Dr. Rene Peter Hohmann, German Association for Housing, Urban and Spatial Development
• Dr. Oliver Schwab, IfS-Institut für Stadtforschung und Strukturpolitik
• Dr. Jonas Keil, Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
• Barbara Jesinowska, Department for the Implementation of European Funds for the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Region 
• Dr. FrantiÅ¡ek KubeÅ¡, Strategic Development and Cooperation Department at the Municipality of Brno

The event will highlight successes and experiences from Germany and other parts of Europe and discuss how such models could be transferred to other regions and the upcoming EU funding period 2028–2035. Recommendations will be presented on how to better embed the territorial dimension in EU cohesion policy.

The event is aimed at representatives from EU institutions, European partners, and regional representations in Brussels and offers a practical insight into the application of integrated regional development supported by EU cohesion policy.

The event will be held Thursday, 16th of Ocotber 2025, 1.30-5 pm at the Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the EU in Brussels (Belgium), Rue Montoyer / Montoyerstraat 47, 1000 Brussels.

Pre-registration is available here.

The agenda can be downloaded here.