Large Western Norwegian delegation at the regional week in Brussels
The 24th edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities (EWRC) has been taking place in Brussels over the past week. The annual event is a central meeting place for regional development, and this year we were fortunate to be visited by 35 committed participants from Vestland and Møre og Romsdal.
During the EWRC, politicians, experts and other relevant stakeholders gather to discuss regional challenges and potential solutions. In addition, the regional weeks facilitate cooperation and networking between regional stakeholders in Europe. The motto for the 2026 edition was "Strong regions, strong Europe".
West Norway Brussels Office has organized several events this year and we have prepared a summary of our activities.
Professional seminar for visiting Westerners
We received a large delegation from West Norway with representatives from both of our counties, several municipalities, HVL, Vestlandsforsking, Sogn næring, Sognaregionen and others.
They received a tailor-made seminar organized by VNB on how the EU is investing in digitalization, energy transition and competitiveness in the face of a turbulent world. In addition, we discussed opportunities within European program cooperation and what we can expect from the new EU programs for the period 2028-2034. The seminar also gave the participants the opportunity to discuss possible collaborations and to get to know VNB better.
The role of regions and municipalities in maritime safety and preparedness
North Sea Resilience: Øygarden Mayor Tom Georg Indrevik in an engaged conversation with his Dutch colleague Hans Broekhuizen (mayor of Het Hogeland) and President of the North Sea Commission, Elisabet Babic.
On day two of the regional week, we organized the seminar "North Sea Resilience: Securing Infrastructure, Communities, and the Blue Commons" in collaboration with the North Sea Commission. It brought together different perspectives on how we can strengthen security and resilience in the North Sea region, and contribute to making societies in the region safer and more sustainable.
The program was based on developments in maritime security and preparedness, with a particular emphasis on how Europe and the North Sea region can prepare for a more complex threat landscape. The seminar also highlighted the connection between maritime security and the care of marine ecosystems. It discussed how to prevent and manage threats to critical facilities and maritime assets, and the role of cooperation and knowledge sharing in strengthening security in the North Sea.
The panel discussions highlighted the importance of European, regional and local actors working together on preparedness and resilience. While national and European frameworks provide important guidance, regions and municipalities are central to preparing communities for crises and ensuring that societal functions can be maintained when they are put to the test.
The gathering also gave us a good opportunity to highlight and highlight different perspectives and points of view among our members. Through presentations from Toralf Rutledal, defense coordinator at the Vestland Defense Forum, Solfrid Sætre Hjøllo, researcher at the Institute of Marine Research, and Tom Georg Indrevik, chairman of the Øygarden municipality , we were able to shed light on current issues and the breadth of expertise in Western Norway.
Thanks to all presenters and panelists for their valuable perspectives and professional contributions, and to everyone who participated in the seminar.
VNB was on the official program
This year, VNB participated in a transnational partnership with regions from France, Italy, Belgium, Ireland and the Channel Islands. The initiative came from the Normandy region in France and the theme was how cultural heritage and shared history can be used to strengthen cooperation between European regions. VNB Director Audun Lysbakken was one of the initiators. He highlighted cooperation within the blue economy, culture, tourism and youth, as well as the link between emergency preparedness and cultural heritage.
From the seminar on cultural heritage and cooperation. Vice-President of Normandy, François-Xavier Priollaud, moderator Angela Atzori from the European Commission and VNB Director Audun Lysbakken.