In many European regions, large areas were used for mining and industry for a long time and then not redeveloped. Brownfields and other areas with activation barriers must be revitalised in order to make them suitable for strategic economic development. In addition, it is sometimes also a question of extracting brownfield sites as objects of speculation from entrenched property regimes.
At a glance
- Wednesday, October 1, 2025
- Representation of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to the European Union
- Rue Montoyer 47, 1000 Brussels
Programme
9:00 am
Registration
9:30 am
Welcome address and introduction to the topic
- Jörg Kemna | CEO Business Metropole Ruhr
9:35 am
Keynote
Activation of brownfields in the proposal for a regulation on the next Multiannual Financial Framework
- Peter Berkowitz, Policy Director, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission
The Ruhr Region
- Dr. Frank Dudda, President of the Ruhr Parliament
10:10 am
Inputs from the regions
Activation of brownfields – challenges and good practices
Including:
Business location Upper Austria – New opportunities through brownfield revitalisation!
- Alexandra Puchner, Head of Investor and Location Management, Business Upper Austria
Enabling land development in a restricted environment of commercial properties – Strategic empowerment from a scientific perspective (The Ruhr)
- Julia Haske, Head of Land Use & Transition, Research Center of Post-Mining, Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola
Brownfield Revitalisation in the GZM Metropolitan Area: long-term task for Europe’s biggest coal mining region
- Krystian Gryglaszewski, Chief Specialist International Cooperation, Metropolis GZM
1,000 Hectares of Brownfields for the Transformation of the Moravian–Silesian Region
- Václav Palička, Chairman of the Board of Directors, MSID
Zasavje challenges with the activation of brownfield sites
- Martin Šikovc, Head of Just Transition and Projects Department, Zasavje Regional Development Agency
Reactivation of brownfields in Catalonia
- Carlos Marco Fernández, Technician in evaluation and restoration of extractive activities, Government of Catalonia
11:45 am
Panel discussion
Activation of brownfields – contributing to strategic economic development in European regions
including:
- Ralph Schmitt-Nilson, Head of Unit Strategy: Single Market and Industrial Policy, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission
- Jörg Kemna, CEO Business Metropole Ruhr
- Maciej Biskupski, Deputy Chairman of the Metropolis GZM Board
12:30 pm
Lunch
1:15 pm
Workshop
Position paper “Activation of brownfields in European regions”
2:45 pm
Conclusions and outlook
3:00 pm
Get together
Moderation: Raphael Thießen, Managing Director German Brownfield Association
Do you have any questions?
Contact us by e-mail, telephone or directly here.
Strukturpolitik & Investorenservice