The European Commission, in cooperation with the Wielkopolska Region, the City of Konin and the Regional Development Agency in Konin cordially invite you to the EU Initiative for Coal regions in transition’s Annual Political Dialogue taking place on 24-25 June 2025 in Konin, Poland. This year, the Annual Political Dialogue takes place under the patronage of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the EU. 

What to expect at the event

This will be an occasion for stakeholders from EU coal, lignite, peat, and oil shale regions – the coal+ regions – to gather, take stock of the progress achieved since the start of the Initiative in 2018, and have an open, future-oriented dialogue on challenges, perspectives and opportunities for competitiveness of coal+ regions in transition. The event will give voice to both policymakers and practitioners, those who are designing and implementing transition on the ground in coal+ regions, and those active in EU capitals, and in Brussels.

The programme will include two days of high-level, strategic and political discussions on the latest EU policies aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the coal+ regions, and on citizens´ involvement in the transition. The programme also features practical expert sessions on designing effective reskilling programmes and on attracting private investments into coal+ regions. These plenary sessions will be complemented by site visits, bilateral info sessions with the European Investment Bank (EIB) on the Technical Assistance for a Green Energy Transition (TARGET) programme and plenty of networking opportunities. 

High-level speakers will lead the discussions during the event, including: 

•    Dan Jørgensen, Commissioner for Energy and Housing, European Commission
•    Marek Woźniak, Marshal of Wielkopolska region 
•    Piotr Korytkowski, Mayor of Konin

Please find the agenda here.

How to participate

The event will be hybrid, with physical participants gathering at the OSKARD Cultural Center in Konin. In addition, all sessions will be livestreamed on DG ENER’s YouTube channel. 

To register for the event, please fill out the form here. Registration is free of charge. Unfortunately, the Initiative is unable to provide financial support to cover travel and accommodation costs. 

Participation is subject to approval. Once approved, you will receive an email confirming your registration for the event. We will also share with confirmed participants practical information on travel and accommodation in Konin. 

The deadline to register for in-person attendance is 10 June 2025. 

The deadline to register for online attendance is 20 June 2025. 

We look forward to welcoming you in Konin or seeing you online!