Registrations closed on May 23, 2025. If you wish to be included in the list of participants, please reach out to AER Communications Coordinator Barbara Polin (b.polin@aer.eu)

Celebrating 40 Years of Connecting Regions, Inspiring Europe

Since 1985, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) has proudly amplified the voice of Europe’s regions. For four decades, the AER championed interregional cooperation as catalyst for deeper European integration, better governance, and more inclusive societies.

As 2025 marks a historic milestone, the AER and Eastern Slovenia warmly invite all members and partners to Maribor, on 17-19 June, to celebrate our legacy and shape the future of the AER as a pan-European, independent network. Recognised as European Best Green Capital and Tree City of the World, Maribor’s commitment to sustainable innovation offers the perfect backdrop to a landmark edition of the General Assembly and Spring Bureau meeting 2025. From 17 to 19 June, their discussions will be enriched by the insights and reflections of the Maribor Innovation Forum, a high-level conference on how to foster place-based innovation and enable European competitiveness with regions’ expertise.

2025 General Assembly & Spring Bureau meeting

The 2025 General Assembly and Spring Bureau meeting will take place on 18 June and they will mark the election of the new political leadership of the Assembly of European Regions, including the President, Executive Board and Political Bureau.

     AER General Assembly 2025 (18.06.2025, 9:00-13:00)

• Draft Agenda
• Working Documents (available soon)

     AER Spring Bureau Meeting 2025 (18.06.2025, 14:30-16:30)

• Draft Agenda
• Working Documents (available soon)

Voting Rights and Membership Fee Requirements

In accordance with article 5.3 of the AER Statutes, each region is entitled to one (1) vote during the General Assembly. Should your region not be able to take part in the General Assembly, it is possible to request proxy voting by using this form.

As outlined in the AER Statutes, members who have not paid their membership fee will have their membership rights suspended. This means that representatives from those regions will not be eligible to vote or stand for election at the General Assembly on 18 June in Maribor, nor for positions within the Bureau. To ensure full participation, we kindly encourage all members to settle any outstanding fees by 4 June.

Place-Based Innovation in Practice

Circular economy and sustainable tourism are key pillars of the place-based innovation practices pioneered by Eastern Slovenia. During the study visit on Circular Economy to the demonstration sites of Nigrad and Ptuj (more information here), participants will have the opportunity to explore how the EU-funded projects CINDERELA and Circsyst explore innovative approaches to waste and water management as well as to secondary raw materials. The study visit on Sustainable Tourism to Štajerska (more information here) will show how tourism can enhance the visibility and accessibility of local traditions and assets, from wine-making to local farming.

Draft Programme

Click here to download the programme.

Travel Information

Venue
The event venue is the charming Old Puppet Theatre of Maribor, an ancient Minorite monastery completely renovated (Vojašniški trg 2A, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia).