Festival and Communities Update

Festival Preparations 

We are pleased to announce that registration for the Festival of Peer2Peer Communities is now closed. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who registered. With over 180 submissions, the interest exceeded our expectations, and we have placed some members on a waiting list. All registrants should have received a confirmation last week. If you would still like to join us in Brussels, please email gbl_regio_p2p@pwc.com, and we will add you to the waiting list. Don’t forget to specify which community’s breakout room you’re interested in. If you registered but cannot attend, kindly inform us as soon as possible. 

We are excited to confirm that nine communities will be represented during the Festival. The event will feature engaging plenary sessions, and we can now share more about what we’ve been preparing for you. 

The Festival will be opened by Themis Christophidou, Director General, DG REGIO. Following a ceremony honouring our Champions, the first thematic plenary session, "Policy Pulse: New Commission Priorities & Modernised Cohesion Policy" will present key policy priorities recently outlined as part of the European Commission’s communication for a Modernised Cohesion Policy. Speakers from several Commission services will provide insights into initiatives such as affordable housing, water resilience, and STEP, as well as broader reflections on EU competitiveness. This discussion will help community members and programme practitioners understand the evolving strategic context and its potential influence on community work and discussions. 

The second thematic session on day one, "Innovation Stage: The Power of AI in Public Governance & Cohesion Policy implementation", will explore how Artificial Intelligence can be a practical enabler for public administrations, helping to simplify processes, improve decision-making, and enhance transparency. It will combine forward-looking perspectives on AI's role in public governance with concrete examples of how programme authorities are already applying AI tools in areas such as project support, financial management, and risk detection. 

Day one will also feature the first of two community-specific breakout sessions. Community Managers, Champions and speakers will prepare detailed agendas and presentations for breakout rooms. If you’d like to contribute or have questions, feel free to reach out to us. The detailed agenda and a list of topics for breakout sessions are available on Futurium. 

On the second day, we will give the main stage to Communities. After the second community-specific breakout session, we will meet in the plenary room to share your discussions’ topics and outcomes with members of other communities and reflect on the future of the Peer2Peer Communities. We hope you find this new form of in-person meeting engaging, allowing you to exchange experiences and knowledge not only within your communities but also with members of other communities. 

Communities Activities in March and April 

While we focus on preparations for the survey, community work continues unabated. Since our last newsletter, we have hosted five community meetings. 

NRRP Community: On March 11, the NRRP CP Community held a meeting focused on public procurement, fraud detection, and strategies for reducing administrative burdens. Participants engaged in discussions on transparency, competition, and fraud prevention, providing invaluable insights for the upcoming Festival of Communities. The full summary and presentation can be found under this [Link]. 

Selection of Operations Community: The meeting on March 4 brought together experts to discuss challenges related to avoiding double financing and selecting bodies for implementing financial instruments. Key topics included compliance with regulatory requirements and best practices for preventing double financing. You can find the summary and presentation under this [Link]. 

Administrative Capacity Building Community: The ACB met on March 6 to explore the design and implementation of roadmaps with t33 contractor insights. This is the [Link] to the summary. 

Digital and E-Cohesion Community: Their recent meeting marked the second instalment in exploring AI tools. They shared a presentation and mind map developed during discussions, highlighting barriers to AI tool adoption. A presentation by the Estonian State Shared Service Centre provided a comprehensive overview of digital tools. [Link] to the full summary. 

DNSH Community: DNSH has just announced their next meeting on May 8, 2025. Registration is now open under this [Link]. 

Community of Champions: The Community of Champions restarted on April 16, with 31 Champions joining to learn about the concept and next steps. The community aims to enhance knowledge exchange, networking, and synergies between communities. 

We look forward to reconvening with you soon and continuing our collaborative efforts. Please do not hesitate to reach out with feedback or ideas for upcoming community meetings and events. Should you have any questions about the Festival of Peer2Peer Communities, or Communities in general feel free to reach out to us on gbl_regio_p2p@pwc.com.