This October, we took RECET international!
Icelandic New Energy and Energy Agency Southern Sweden headed to Brussels for the European Week of Regions and Cities 2025. This year, more than 6500 participants joined from all over Europe and beyond. Among them were politicians, public officials at all levels (EU, national, regional and local), private sector representatives, policymakers, journalists and civil society and citizens.
What They Really Wanted to Know
Our booth showcased four LIFE-CET projects, creating a rich display of complementary approaches to CET challenges. While all four projects drew interest, visitors were particularly curious about our methodology for stakeholder engagement, asking detailed questions about our practical approach and our experience of involving local communities in policy making.
Local government representatives were particularly hungry for our methodology and practical insights. They peppered us with questions about our first findings and lessons learned, clearly looking for approaches they could adapt in their own regions. It was incredibly validating to see how our on-the-ground experience resonated with decision-makers facing similar challenges in both rural and urban areas.
Think Local, Act Together
The event featured an exhibition area at The Square, alongside high-level lectures and panels at the conference center, all of the highest quality. We were proud to showcase our work among sister LIFE-CET projects (REGIO1st, IN-PLAN and PLAN4CET) in this prestigious setting, where policymakers, regional leaders, private sector representatives and journalists from across Europe came together to exchange ideas, share real-world experiences and find inspiration for tackling the challenges they face back home.
Why this matters
The European Week of Regions and Cities attracts over 6,500 participants from across the EU and beyod (see map), making it the perfect platform to share our progress. But what really struck us was the genuine appetite for actionable stakeholder engagement strategies.
"The European Week of Regions and Cities is Brussels’ flagship event on Cohesion Policy, co-organised by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) and the European Committee of the Regions (CoR)."
This year, more than 6500 participants join from all over Europe and beyond. Among them were Politicians, public officials at all levels (EU, national, regional and local), private sector representatives, policymakers, journalists and civil society and citizens.