MOBI-TWIN Final Conference

Mobility, Regional Attractiveness and Cohesion in Europe’s Twin Transition

A Horizon Europe conference bringing together policymakers, researchers and regional stakeholders to explore how Europe’s green and digital transitions are reshaping mobility and regional development.

4 May 2026 09:30 – 17:00 CET European Committee of the Regions, Brussels
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About the Event

How is the twin transition reshaping mobility across Europe?

How is the green and digital transition reshaping mobility patterns across Europe, and what does this mean for regions and their development prospects? This conference brings together policymakers, researchers and regional stakeholders to discuss how spatial mobility influences regional attractiveness, labour markets and territorial cohesion in the context of the twin transition.

Building on evidence from the Horizon Europe MOBI-TWIN project, the conference will present new insights on mobility drivers, emerging regional disparities and future scenarios. Particular attention will be given to how different types of regions — including those facing population decline or talent outflows — are affected, and how these trends may reinforce or mitigate existing inequalities across Europe.

The conference will also focus on policy implications at EU, national and regional level. Through discussions with representatives from EU institutions, regional authorities and related initiatives, it will explore how data, tools and evidence can support more effective and place-based policy responses.

Key Details

Date

Monday, 4 May 2026

Time

09:30 – 17:00 CET

Venue

European Committee of the Regions
Room VMA 21, Rue Van Maerlant
1040 Brussels, Belgium

Format

In-person conference
Keynotes, panels, policy debates & networking

Programme

Conference Agenda

The programme may be subject to minor changes.

09:30 – 10:15
Registration & Welcome Coffee
10:15 – 10:40
Welcome & Opening Remarks
The MOBI-TWIN Final Conference kicks off with a welcome from project coordinator Giulia Zendron. A moment to set the scene, introduce the day’s agenda, and frame the big question at the heart of the conference: how is Europe’s twin transition reshaping where people live, work, and move, and what does that mean for the future of our regions?
  • ModeratorJennifer Baker — EU policy and tech reporter
  • Giulia Zendron — Senior Project Manager, MOBI-TWIN Coordinator, White Research
  • CoR Representative — European Committee of the Regions (TBC)
  • European Commission Representative — DG REGIO or DG EMPL (TBC)
10:40 – 11:00
Keynote: Why Mobility Matters for Regional Cohesion Now
People are on the move, and not always in ways that benefit every region equally. In this opening keynote, MOBI-TWIN Scientific Coordinator Anastasia Panori sets the stage with a compelling case for why spatial mobility sits at the centre of Europe’s green and digital transitions and why getting policy right on this issue has never been more urgent.
  • KeynoteAnastasia Panori — Assistant Professor, MOBI-TWIN Scientific Coordinator, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
11:00 – 11:45
Understanding Mobility Dynamics
What does mobility across Europe actually look like, and what’s driving it? This session brings together two leading researchers to present fresh evidence from the MOBI-TWIN project. From cutting-edge mobility mapping using integrated datasets to new analysis of what makes regions attractive (or not), this is where the data tells its story.
  • Olle Järv — Researcher, University of Helsinki — Integrated datasets & Mobility mapping
  • Vicente Royuela — Full Professor of Applied Economics, University of Barcelona — Drivers of Mobility & Regional Attractiveness
11:45 – 12:15
Coffee Break
12:15 – 13:00
From Evidence to Policy Intelligence: What Do Mobility Trends Mean for Regions?
Research can tell us what’s happening. But what should we do about it? This panel brings together experts from the European Commission, the OECD, the Joint Research Centre, and the European Science Foundation to debate what mobility trends really mean for policymakers and whether the EU’s current tools are up to the challenge.
  • ModeratorJennifer Baker — EU policy and tech reporter
  • PanellistAsya Salnikova — Science Officer, European Science Foundation
  • PanellistAnabela Santos — Economic Analyst and Team Leader, Joint Research Centre (ULB)
  • PanellistMaya Camacho — Policy Analyst, OECD
  • PanellistSimone Rosini — Policy Officer, DG Employment, European Commission
13:00 – 14:00
Networking Lunch
14:00 – 14:45
Future Scenarios: How Mobility Will Shape Regions
What happens next? This session takes a forward look at how shifting mobility patterns could reshape regions across Europe. Using advanced modelling tools, including microsimulation, agent-based models and EUROMOD, researchers present scenarios that policymakers can’t afford to ignore, from widening welfare gaps to new opportunities for regional repositioning.
  • Manos Matsaganis — Full Professor of Public Finance, Politecnico di Milano — EUROMOD as a tool for social welfare impacts
  • Dimitris Ballas — Full Professor of Economic Geography, University of Groningen — Spatial MSM & ABM modelling for future policy scenarios
14:45 – 15:30
Addressing Challenges in Left-Behind Regions: Policy Responses
Some regions are caught in a difficult cycle: people leave, investment follows, and the gap with prosperous regions widens. But is this inevitable? This panel brings together regional economists, development experts, and policy practitioners to debate what genuinely works, and what needs to change, for the regions at greatest risk of being left behind by the twin transition.
  • ModeratorJennifer Baker — EU policy and tech reporter
  • PanellistYannis Psycharis — Professor of Regional Economic Analysis, Panteion University
  • PanellistMaria Abreu — Professor of Economic Geography, University of Cambridge
  • PanellistFrancesco Molica — Director, EURADA
15:30 – 16:00
Coffee Break
16:00 – 16:30
What Works? Lessons and Policy Recommendations from EU Projects
MOBI-TWIN is not alone. This session brings together three complementary Horizon Europe projects, PREMIUM_EU, R-Map, and SkillsPulse, to compare notes, share lessons learned, and build a collective evidence base for smarter EU policy on mobility, skills, and regional development.
  • Peter Meister-Broekema — Hanze University of Applied Sciences (PREMIUM_EU)
  • Nikos Zacharis — Director of SEERC, University of York Europe Campus (R-Map)
  • Liga Baltina — Head of Labour Market & Skills Research, Fondazione G. Brodolini (SkillsPulse)
16:30 – 16:45
Closing Keynote: Spatial Mobility and the Future of Cohesion Policy
How should Europe rethink cohesion policy for a world where people, skills, and opportunities are unevenly distributed, and increasingly mobile? This closing keynote brings the day’s conversations together into a forward-looking reflection on what the evidence means for the future of EU cohesion policy, and what it will take to build a more balanced and resilient Europe.
  • KeynoteMaria Abreu — Professor of Economic Geography, University of Cambridge
16:45
Closing Remarks
A moment to look back on the day’s conversations, highlight the key takeaways, and look ahead to what comes next for the MOBI-TWIN project and its policy legacy.
  • Giulia Zendron — Senior Project Manager, MOBI-TWIN Coordinator, White Research
Confirmed Speakers

Meet Our Speakers

Researchers, policymakers and experts shaping the conversation on mobility and regional development.

Giulia Zendron
Giulia Zendron
MOBI-TWIN Coordinator / White Research
Senior Project Manager and Head of the Cross-cutting Innovation Unit at White Research Brussels. Coordinator of the Horizon Europe MOBI-TWIN project.
Simone Rosini
Simone Rosini
DG Employment, European Commission
Policy Officer at the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission, working on employment policies and labour market analysis.
Jennifer Baker
Jennifer Baker
Conference Host & Moderator
Brussels-based EU policy and technology journalist with over 20 years of experience. Regular contributor to BBC Radio and Euronews, specialising in European technology policy and legislation.
Maria Abreu
Maria Abreu
University of Cambridge
Professor of Economic Geography at Cambridge. Regional economist working on labour markets, migration and productivity. Chair of the Regional Science Association International (British & Irish Section).
Dimitris Ballas
Dimitris Ballas
University of Groningen
Full Professor of Economic Geography at the University of Groningen. Expert in spatial inequalities, microsimulation modelling and the geography of well-being.
Liga Baltina
Liga Baltina
SkillsPULSE / Fondazione G. Brodolini
Head of Labour Market & Skills Research at Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini and Coordinator of the SkillsPULSE Horizon Europe project on measuring skill shortages across Europe.
Maya Camacho
Maya Camacho
OECD
Policy Analyst in the Regional Policy and Attractiveness Unit at the OECD. Over 15 years of experience in public policy, territorial development and multi-level governance.
Olle Järv
Olle Järv
University of Helsinki
Researcher at the University of Helsinki specialising in integrated mobility datasets, spatial mobility mapping and data-driven approaches to understanding regional dynamics.
Manos Matsaganis
Manos Matsaganis
Politecnico di Milano
Full Professor of Public Finance at Politecnico di Milano. Expert in welfare economics, social policy and the political economy of austerity in Southern Europe.
Peter Meister-Broekema
Peter Meister-Broekema
PREMIUM_EU Project
Representative of the Horizon Europe PREMIUM_EU project, contributing cross-project insights on mobility, labour markets and regional development in the European context.
Francesco Molica
Francesco Molica
EURADA / JRC
Director of EURADA and economic analyst at the JRC. Extensive experience in regional policy, EU cohesion policy and innovation. Former DG REGIO and CPMR official.
Anastasia Panori
Anastasia Panori
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
Assistant Professor in Spatial Planning and Development. Expert in economic and regional development with extensive experience in Horizon-funded research and European Commission consultancy.
Yannis Psycharis
Yannis Psycharis
Panteion University, Athens
Professor of Regional Economic Analysis at Panteion University and Director of the Regional Development Institute. Vice-President of ERSA and expert in regional economics and economic geography.
Vicente Royuela
Vicente Royuela
University of Barcelona
Full Professor of Applied Economics and MOBI-TWIN Team Leader at UB. Expert in regional science, spatial mobility and labour markets. Editor in Chief of Global Challenges and Regional Science.
Asya Salnikova
Asya Salnikova
European Science Foundation
Science Officer at the European Science Foundation with a PhD in International Law (Strasbourg). Expert in international research collaborations, citizen science and Open Science initiatives.
Anabela Santos
Anabela Santos
ULB / Joint Research Centre
Economic Analyst and Team Leader at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, with a PhD in Economics from ULB. Expert in policy evaluation, industrial innovation and EU funds governance.
Taina Tukiainen
Taina Tukiainen
EU Mission Board / JRC
Member of the EU Mission Board for Climate Adaptation and Visiting Scientist at the Joint Research Centre. Expert in regional attractiveness and innovation ecosystems.
Nikos Zacharis
Nikos Zacharis
SEERC / University of York Europe Campus
Director of SEERC with 30+ years of experience in innovation policy, regional development and entrepreneurship. Coordinator of the R-Map project and member of the MOBI-TWIN Advisory Board.

Join Us in Brussels

Be part of the conversation on mobility, regional development and cohesion policy in Europe’s twin transition. Registration is free but mandatory due to security requirements at the European Committee of the Regions. Registration deadline: 28 April 2026.

Register Now
Venue

European Committee of the Regions

How to Get There

Address: Rue Van Maerlant / Van Maerlantstraat, 1040 Brussels, Belgium (VMA Building, 2nd floor, Room VMA 21)

By Metro: Nearest stations are Arts-Loi / Kunst-Wet (lines 1, 2, 5, 6) and Maelbeek / Maalbeek (lines 1, 5), both a short walk away.

By Train: Brussels-Luxembourg station is approximately 10 minutes on foot.

Important: All participants must be pre-registered. On-site registration on the day of the event is not allowed. Registered participants will receive an email from the CoR’s eVisitor system to complete their access registration.

Organised by

The MOBI-TWIN Consortium

MOBI-TWIN is a Horizon Europe project (HORIZON-CL2-2022-TRANSFORMATIONS-01) exploring how Europe’s twin transition reshapes spatial mobility and regional attractiveness. The project brings together 9 partners across Europe.

Contact

For any questions about the event, please contact:

Martha Papadopoulou

ACCELIGENCE

martha.papadopoulou@acceligence.cy

European Committee of the Regions

Disclaimer: This event is hosted at the European Committee of the Regions. The views expressed during the conference are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the European Committee of the Regions. The European Committee of the Regions is not responsible for the content of this event.

MOBI-TWIN has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101094402.

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