In Brussels on October 12, 2026, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Raffaele Fitto delivered a welcoming speech at the opening of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2026. This annual event brings together representatives of regional and local authorities, experts and politicians from across the European Union to discuss issues of regional policy, territorial cohesion and urban development. In his speech, Fitto thanked the organizers and partners of the event, emphasizing the importance of cooperation between different levels of government — European, national, regional and local — to achieve the sustainable development goals of the European Union. He noted that regions and cities play a key role in implementing cohesion policy, which remains one of the main instruments of the European Union for reducing economic and social disparities between territories. The European Week of Regions and Cities traditionally takes place in Brussels and includes dozens of seminars, discussions and presentations devoted to topical issues — from green transition and digitalization to demographic changes and sustainable financing. The event is held jointly by the European Commission and the European Committee of the Regions and is considered one of the largest platforms for exchanging experience between European territories. Fitto, who is responsible in the European Commission for cohesion and reform issues, emphasized that cohesion policy must adapt to new challenges, including climate change and technological transformation, while maintaining its main goal — ensuring more equitable development of all regions of the European Union.