Dear Members of Regio Peer2Peer Communities!

We are happy to announce that we are now opening the registration to the Festival of Peer2Peer Communities that will take place on the 3-4 June in Brussels (venue to be confirmed). The registration will be open till the 14th of April. 

Preliminary Agenda of the Festival of Peer2Peer Communities

The festival will comprise of Plenary Sessions open to everyone and Community Breakout Sessions focused on Community-specific topics. 

Day 1: 3 June 2025

09:30 – 09.50    Opening & introduction:  DG REGIO Representative (Plenary)

09:50 – 10:30   P2P Communities Presentation and Champions Award  (Plenary)

10:30 – 12:00    New Commission Strategic Priorities – on the way to the Modernised Cohesion Policy (Plenary)

12:00 – 13:30    Lunch Break (Networking)

13:30 – 15:30    Community-Specific Sessions 1 (Breakout)

15:30 – 16:00    Coffee Break (Networking)

16:00 – 17:15    The Power of AI in Public Governance & Cohesion Policy implementation – Challenges & Opportunities (Plenary)

17:15 – 17:30    Open stage & Wrap-up(Plenary)

17:30 – 19:00    Networking Event (Networking)

Day 2: 4 June 2025

08:30 – 09:00    Welcome Coffee (Networking)

09:00 – 11:00    Community-Specific Sessions 2 (Breakout)

11:00 – 11:20    Coffee Break (Networking)

11:20 – 12:30    Connecting Communities & Looking Forward (Plenary)

12:30 – 13:30    Lunch Break (Networking)

13:30 – 14:00    Closing Session & Wrap-up (Plenary)

You can also download the Preliminary Agenda below. 

Topics for Community Breakout Sessions

We want to thank you for the ideas you submitted that helped us and your Champions in selecting the topics for Community Breakout Sessions.

Administrative Capacity Building

• ACB Roadmaps – overview of the pilot action and potential use in the post-2027
• Administrative capacity building and the New European Commission Priorities – how to build platforms and communities of practice 

Circular Economy

• Funding opportunities and challenges for Circular Economy projects 

Citizen Participation Community

• Building Communities around Open Data and Civic Monitoring

State Aid Community

• The Green Deal and GBER: Strategic Challenges, Legal Complexities, and Future-Proofing State Aid for a Climate-Neutral Europe
• Article 56 GBER in Practice: Strategic Challenges and Legal Grey Areas in Local Infrastructure Aid
• A Strategic Initiative to Reduce Administrative Burden by 25%, Including in the State Aid Framework
• Implications of EU Cohesion Policy Budget Shifts on State Aid Rules 

NRRP

• Simplification
• Impact of the new programming period post 2027
• Double funding (together with Selection of Operations Community)
• Public procurement and fraud prevention (together with Selection of Operations and Public Procurement Community)

Selection of Operations

• Double funding (together with NRRP Community)
• Public procurement and fraud prevention (together with NRRP and Public Procurement Community)

Public Procurement

• Public procurement and financial corrections (conflict of interest and fraud)
• Innovation procurement
• Public procurement and fraud prevention (together with NRRP and Selection of Operations Community)

DNSH

• Recommendations for the DNSH application in the next programming period

Digital and e-Cohesion

• Use of Artificial Intelligence in the implementation of the Cohesion Policy

A detailed Description of Community Breakout Sessions can be downloaded below.

Who can register? 

The goal of the Regio Peeer2Peer Communities is to increase efficiency of implementation of Cohesion and Just Transition Funds. In this context, the Festival is open primarily to Members of Peer2Peer Communities who are representatives of public sector institutions (Managing Authorities, Intermediary Bodies, Coordination Bodies, Audit Authorities).  

Kindly note that due to the space limitation, priority will be given to active Community’s Champions and Members. We reserve the right to select participants. You will be informed individually about the result of the selection. 

The organizers do not cover the participants’ costs related to travel and accommodation.

How to register?

So how do you register? 

1. Familiarize with the agenda and choose which community’s sessions you would like to join.

While plenary sessions are open to everyone, Community Breakout Sessions will run in parallel and will be open only to participants who sign up. 

2. Fill in the registration survey

This link will take you to the registration questionnaire where you will be able to sign up to specific community’s Breakout Session. The survey is open until the 14th of April.

3. Wait for the framework managers to get back to you

Given the limited number of seats, only selected members will be invited. The confirmation of your registration shall be received within the first two weeks of April. 

What’s next?

The framework management team will be monitoring the registration process and reaching out to selected Members. 

Should you have any questions regarding the topics, please contact your Communities’ Managers. The framework management team at gbl_regio_p2p@pwc.com will be happy to answer your questions about the registration process and logistics.

We look forward to meeting you in person in June!