STRING participated in the yearly European Week of Regions and Cities, hosted by the EU in Brussels. From October 7 to 10, 2024, over 7000 participants and 500 speakers from all over Europe were gathered to discuss regional cooperation policy. STRING participated actively in discussing cross-border cooperation, with a focus on sustainable transport infrastructure and regional development.
Panel discussion: How to enhance connectivity across Europe
STRING’s managing director Thomas Becker was part of a panel discussion on how to enhance connectivity across Europe by sharing insights and best practices for the TEN-T Corridor. The panel discussion was organised by the Aktionsgemeinschaft Brennerbahn and the Tyrolean Presidency and gave important insights into the competitive advantage of rail connections for European regions. Among others, Thomas Becker was joined by Pat Cox, the European Coordinator for the Scan-Med Corridor and former president of the European Parliament. The panel engaged in interesting discussions about the importance of strategic rail connections in fostering collaboration, boosting economic growth, and promoting sustainability. Thomas Becker highlighted the importance of the Fehmarn Belt Fixed Link and the opportunities that it will generate for regions and cities. However, he also stressed that upgrades to the infrastructure network in the whole region need to be made to reap these benefits.
STRING Reception at Oslo Region European Office
STRING also held strategic meetings with other stakeholders, such as representatives from EU institutions and key transport partners such as Deutsche Bahn. Furthermore, it was a great pleasure to visit some of our members’ regional offices. We were fortunate to hold a reception at the Oslo Region European Office. Here, we also focused on the profound impact that the Fehmarn Belt tunnel will have and how it can drive sustainable regional development and enhanced connectivity for the entire Nordic region. In addition, the event was also a great opportunity to bring together experts and key stakeholders.
Overall, STRING’s participation in the European Week of Regions and Cities was a great success. The discussions and newly formed networks will be of significant value to our work. We are grateful to everyone participating in our events and for engaging with us during the week in Brussels.
