East Border Region Hosts AEBR Annual Conference 2026
03rd Nov, 2026
East Border Region Hosts AEBR Annual Conference 2026
East Border Region was proud to host the Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) Annual Events in October 2026. The events brought representatives of border regions from across Europe to the Irish border region.
The programme ran from 28 to 31 October. It opened with the X AEBR Cross-Border School at Dundalk Institute of Technology, followed by the AEBR General Assembly, a conference dinner with the Sail of Papenburg Award presentation, a two-day Annual Conference, and a social programme and study visit, centred on the Nuremore Hotel in Carrickmacross.
Hosting the conference was a particular honour in EBR’s 50th anniversary year. East Border Region has been an active member of the AEBR for 34 years, having hosted two conferences previously, with the first taking place in the Nuremore Estate in 1992. Over two days, more than 180 delegates from 26 countries heard from policymakers, practitioners and academics on the future of cross-border cooperation in Europe.
Learning from 50 years of peace-making
The conference was officially opened by Thomas Byrne TD, Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, who said:
“The East Border Region was established over 50 years ago, and it’s an exemplar of what can be achieved when we work together. When the people who set up the East Border Region set it up, you couldn’t really travel very easily north and south on this island. The border has transformed, the island has transformed, and a physical symbol of division has turned into a corridor for cooperation and innovation. The East Border Region has been essential to that.”
Niamh Smyth TD, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, also addressed delegates by video. This was followed by a session delivered by EBR on 50 years of peace-making, reflecting on what the island of Ireland’s experience of cross-border cooperation can offer border regions elsewhere in Europe. Further sessions explored resilient borders, and citizen engagement and deliberative democracy, giving delegates practical examples of how border communities can be involved in the decisions that affect them.
Looking ahead
The second day turned to the future, with sessions on a thriving and enlarged Europe and the future of Cohesion Policy. Speakers including Nathalie Verschelde, Head of Unit at DG REGIO, European Commission, and Andrew Condon, Principal Officer for EU Cohesion Funds and North South EU Structural Funds, set out the Commission’s proposals for the next EU budget and the latest on negotiations, signalling stability and continuity for Interreg, including provision for a renewed PEACEPLUS programme, with full clarity on the new rules not expected until mid-2027 at the earliest.
Receptions and awards
Delegates were also welcomed at a civic reception hosted by Monaghan County Council and a gala dinner on the first evening, and at a civic reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough and a gala in Armagh on the second, giving them a chance to experience the region’s hospitality on both sides of the border.
The Sail of Papenburg Award went to the Euroregion NAEN for its cross-border employment strategy, with a Special Mention for the Greater Region Summit Secretariat’s cross-border chatbot for Frontaliers Grand Est.
Cllr PJ O’Hanlon, EBR Chairman, said:
“Welcoming our European colleagues to the East Border Region during our 50th anniversary year has been a privilege. The conversations over these days will strengthen the partnerships our region depends on, and remind us that the challenges border communities face are shared across Europe.”
Study visit
The conference closed with a study visit to Warrenpoint, where delegates saw sections of the Narrow Water Bridge moored in the harbour before visiting the bridge site itself. The group then stopped in Carlingford to explore the village before travelling on to the airport.
East Border Region would like to thank Minister Byrne and Minister Smyth, AEBR, all speakers and delegates, and everyone who helped make the event a success, including the team at the Nuremore Hotel.
