OPEN DAYS 2008 Committee of the Regions 29 February 2008 Presentation of the Investors’ Café Deliver your business opportunities to regional decision- makers

OPEN DAYS 2008 in numbers 200 partner regions and cities 120 sessions in Brussels (workshops/seminars/debates) 120 exhibitors at the Investors´ Café partners from the private sector and banks 5500 participants in Brussels 200 events at local level participants in partner regions and cities

1 2 0 W o r k i n g s e s s i o n s organised by DG REGIO (40) taking place in Commission buildings organised within the „Investors´Café“ (40) taking place at the COR organised by conglomerates (40) taking place in regional offices OPENING SESSION 6 October 2008 CLOSING SESSION 9 October 2008 Shape of the event

EU Cohesion Policy Eligible Regions Total: EUR billion (35,6% of the EU budget) 82% for Convergence Regions; 15% for other regions Over half for the new Member States

Investors’ Café concept Networking platform for discussion and exchange of experience between the following groups: Regions & Cities Politicians from Europe´s regions and cities Officials from regional administration SF management authorities Regional development agencies (EURADA) Universities EU institutions Members of the European Parliament Members of the European Commission CoR members Council representatives Officials of EU institutions Enterprise Europe Network Business BusinessEurope UEAPME (SMEs) chambres of commerce Private companies Banks

Investors’ Café concept 1) Major exhibition (120 stands) An exhibition area with stands for partners, regions and cities split into 6 thematic villages Business area for private companies Special section for banks and financial institutions 2) Sessions (30-40) Workshops Seminars Debates 3) Real Café Formal/Informal meetings TV studio

1) Exhibition Business area for private companies Special section for banks and financial institutions Thematic villages Knowledge Society Health Research & Innovation and Attracting talent Energy Environment Transport

Thursday 9 October Tuesday 7 October Wednesday 8 October Morning: Flexible hours 9:00 – – 13:00 Afternoon: Fixed hours 14:30 – 16:15 16:45 – 18:30 1h45 2) Sessions workshops seminars debates

3) Real café A comfortable setting for meeting decision makers and experts in small groups or one-to-one A TV studio will be available to teams of journalists including representatives from Euronews covering the event

Participation in the Investors’ Café high visibility in the exhibition area active involvement during the organisation and running of the event commitment to promoting the IC within the organisation/institution/company possibility to propose and organise session(s) (workshop/seminar/debate) For business partners and financial institutions: Enhanced visibility and exclusive networking opportunity in the Business Area

31 Marchdeadline for submitting session proposal(s) at 4 Apriljoint preparatory meeting for all event partners 30 April programme of all OPEN DAYS sessions to be finalised 19 Maydeadline for requesting a stand within the exhibition June/Julyfinalisation of the architecture of the exhibition Investors’ Café time-line