📅 21 May 2026
🕘 12:00 – 14:30 
📍 AER Offices in Brussels (Rue d’Arlon 63, 1000) & ONLINE

Organised by the AER Task Force on Access to Services and hosted by Region Värmland

Ensuring equitable access to healthcare and digital connectivity is essential for inclusive and sustainable rural development. Yet many regions across Europe still face significant gaps in access to essential services, economic opportunities, and infrastructure, challenges that increasingly affect people’s ability to remain and build their future in the places they call home.

This lunch briefing will bring together regional authorities, EU institutions, and policy stakeholders to explore how stronger digital connectivity and accessible healthcare services can support Europe’s emerging “Right to Stay” agenda.

What will be discussed?

The discussion will focus on:

• Reducing territorial inequalities in access to services
• Strengthening healthcare accessibility in rural and remote areas
• Unlocking the potential of digital infrastructure and telemedicine
• Improving coordination between local, regional, national, and European policies

The event will also contribute to the European Commission’s ongoing Call for Evidence for the upcoming EU Right to Stay Strategy. Participants are invited to share regional experiences, challenges, and recommendations, which will help inform a consolidated AER contribution to the consultation.

The discussion builds on AER’s ongoing work on territorial cohesion and access to services, including the publication of the Recommendation Paper on Access to Essential Services & Quality of Life developed within the Harnessing Talent Platform together with DG REGIO.

Agenda

12:00 — Registration & Networking Lunch

13:00 — Welcome & Introduction

• Johannes Sundelin, AER Vice President for Clean Industry, Transportation, Transition, Sustainability & Health
• Daniel Schützer, Co-Chair Task Force on Access to Services

13:15 — Roundtable Discussion

• Szilvia Kalman, Deputy Head of Unit, Cities, Communities and People, DG REGIO, European Commission
• Florian Meyerhoefer, Head of International Affairs and Analysis Unit, Council of Europe Development Bank
• Michele Calabrò, Director, EUREGHA – European Regional and Local Health Authorities

14:25 — Closing Remarks

14:30 — End of Roundtable

☕ This breakfast discussion offers a space for informal exchange between regional leaders and EU policymakers on improving access to healthcare and connectivity, and ensuring that rural communities can fully benefit from Europe’s digital and social transitions.

Contribute to the AER Joint Call for Evidence

As part of the European Commission’s consultation on the upcoming EU Right to Stay Strategy, AER is preparing a joint contribution gathering perspectives from members of the Task Force on Access to Services.

We encourage all members to contribute evidence, examples, and recommendations by reading the Call for Consultation and filling out the form before 25 May 2026.