For the first time in the 10 year history of the OPEN DAYS, four European Institution presidents - Martin Schultz, President of the European Parliament, Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, and Ramón Luis Valcárcel Siso, President of the Committee of the Regions -  will participate in the OPEN DAYS Opening Session. This will kick off the 108 seminars of OPEN DAYS 2012. Some 6 000 participants and 600 speakers are expected to visit the Brussels-based four day event. You can follow the Opening Session on webstreaming.

This message is aimed at all those planning to attend the event "Be SMART - think CITY!" scheduled on Tuesday 9 October, from 9.00 to 13.00. The workshop takes place in Avenue des Arts 56, and not rue de la Loi, as initially indicated. The venue is located near the metro station Trone, at walking distance from the European Parliament and the Royal Palace.

During the OPEN DAYS INTERREG IVC organises a 'Good Practice Fair'. Hosted by the Committee of the Regions, 10 interactive stands will show more than 60 good policy practices and initiatives exchanged through 204 interregional projects involving over 2200 regional partners via the INTERREG IVC programme. The exhibition, which involves 50 regions, will be open to all OPEN DAYS participants 9-11 October. The exhibition can be visited at the premises of CoR, Rue Belliard 101, 5th and 6th floor.

Before you attend any of the seminars you will have to pick up your personalised OPEN DAYS badge at the Regional Office of Catalonia or at the Committee of the Regions (locations and opening times on our website's practical information page). The badge will give you access to all workshop venues. Journalists can only register at the Committee of the Regions.

Please note that no badges will be delivered at the European Parliament, and that registered participants without access badges will not be able to access European Institution buildings. Moreover, we advise you to be at your workshop venue at least 30 minutes ahead to allow for the necessary security checks. Access to the European Parliament for the Opening session might even take longer.

On-site registration is still possible for the workshops which have some remaining free places. For on-site registration, you can use one of the two OPEN DAYS registration points.

Citizens' involvement in the struggle against global warming and by extension, the importance of the bottom-up strategy in the decision making process, especially regarding European institutions, are the main topics of investigation of this Brussels-based event (9 October 18:00-20:30 - Schaerbeek City Hall). The main idea is to invite politicians from a local, regional and European level and Schaerbeek citizens and to give rise to a debate on these matters following the projection of the musical clip "Let's Do It". Contact: Naël Daibes

When registering on-site or picking up their badge at the ESPAI CATALUNYA EUROPA, participants are welcome to visit the "Design for Recycling 2011 Award" hosted by the Espai Catalunya Europa exhibition hall at the offices of the Delegation of the Government of Catalonia. Design for Recycling Award 2011 exhibit presents rewarded works, reproductions, panels and technical explanations. The award is made in four categories: products, projects, strategies and materials. This biennial award is an Eco design strategy aiming to reduce the environmental impact of consumer goods. This strategy promotes the use of recycled material to avoid the consumption of virgin raw material, as well as other actions regarding prevention, lengthening useful life of the products, and improvement of their recyclability.

The ESPAI CATALUNYA EUROPA is located Rue de la Loi 227,  halfway between Metro Station Schuman and Parc du Cinquantenaire. 

Opening hours during the Open Days

Monday 8 October: 09:00 - 18:30

Tuesday 9 October: 08:00 - 18:30

Wednesday 10 October: 08:00 - 15:00

Thursday 11 October: 08:00 - 11:00