Regional Impact Trade Alliance - 2nd Catalytic Encounter

May 27 - 28 - 29

Bilbao - Donostia / San Sebastián

Building the Future of Collaborative Inter-regional Impact Trade from Euskadi

Territories from Europe and Latin America converge in the Basque Country to forge new alliances, trade agreements, and shared pathways toward sustainable prosperity.

APPLY TO ATTEND

CAPACITY

Up to 30 Territories - By Invitation Only

LOCATION

Bilbao & Donostia / San Sebastián - Euskadi

DEADLINE TO APPLY

May 1st 2026

Draft Agenda →

ABOUT THE ENCOUNTER

Where Regions Trade with Purpose

The 2nd RITA Catalytic Encounter builds on the momentum of Mendoza, Argentina (June 2025), bringing together up to 30 territories from Europe and Latin America for three intensive days of collaboration, deal-making, and shared learning.

Co-organised by the Basque Government through eLankidetza and the Directorate of Social Innovation & Agenda 2030, alongside ECODES and RITA, this encounter is both a milestone and a springboard — a chance to deepen the Alliance's foundations and catalyse real interregional agreements.

Participation is by invitation only to ensure the quality and depth of conversations. Places are strictly limited across the four-helix model: public sector, private sector, civil society, and academia.

27–29 May

Bilbao · Donostia / San Sebastián — Euskadi

Why now · Why Euskadi

A historic window of opportunity

The EU–Mercosur free trade agreement (the largest trade zone in history) is now in place, joining existing agreements with Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. These accords shape a shared market of over 900 million people.

For impact-oriented territories, this is not just a trade opportunity — it is an invitation to demonstrate that regenerative, purpose-driven trade between regions can become the norm rather than the exception.

Euskadi brings a unique vantage point: the UN Local 2030 Secretariat Office is based in Bilbao, the Blueprint Initiative for SDG Localisation is anchored here, and the Basque Country is a living model of social innovation, cooperative economy, and multi-actor governance.

This Encounter is an opportunity for pioneering regions to continue co-creating the standards, governance, and economic model of the RITA alliance while inter-regional relationships that would convert in future impact trade deals.

KEY OBJECTIVES

What we will achieve together

01
Progress real interregional collaborations
Review live cases of collaboration between regions and accelerate existing pipelines of trade, investment and learning agreements.
02
Co-define RITA's core standards
Advance working group proposals on governance, economic model, verification standards, branding, and the digital platform.
03
Showcase territorial offers & demands
Each delegation presents up to two impact solutions and key needs, grounded in the UN Blueprint Localisation Initiative.
04
Build trust and new agreements
Generate mutual trust, new inter-territorial compacts, and stronger relationships — especially vital in a moment of geopolitical uncertainty.
05
Learn from the Basque model
Discover the Blueprint Initiative and its UN-endorsed approach to multi-actor, multi-level mobilisation for sustainable territorial development.
06
Unlock financing pathways
Reflect with EU Commission experts and development agencies on financing opportunities for pioneering regional economies in the new trade landscape.

Three days, nine working blocks

The programe combines plenaries, working groups, territorial showcases, walks to build rapport and hands-on visits to Basque innovation projects — structured around nine interconnected thematic blocks.

Shared framework: RITA + ALMA Blueprint + Euskadi Local 2030 Hub

Align expectations on RITA's deliverables, the ALMA Blueprint axes, and available financing and international articulation opportunities.

BLOCK A

Community, active citizenship & shared language

Build an integrative narrative connecting the territorial and interregional dimensions — enabling trust, legitimacy and civic engagement.

BLOCK B

Territorial progress reports

Each territory presents its advances, transition plans, identified actors, existing initiatives, and interregional cooperation priorities.

BLOCK C

Governance, standards & minimum conditions

Present and collaboratively refine the draft minimum conditions for Regional Impact Origin recognition — governance, economic model, and verification.

BLOCK D

Sustainable competitiveness & public policy

EU sustainability frameworks (CSRD/CS3D, ESG) as levers for territorial competitiveness — and sustainable public procurement as a driver of interregional agreements.

BLOCK E and F

Financing for sustainable development

Map financial instruments connecting territories and mobilising public, philanthropic, and market funds aligned with local priorities and international frameworks.

BLOCK G

Territory in action: Basque visits & experiences

Situated learning visits — Mondragón cooperativism, community energy, circular economy — plus an integrative outdoor dynamic.

BLOCK H

Closing: harvest, commitments & Declaration

Harvest learnings, make decisions visible, and close with the signing of a Declaration building on Mendoza 2025. Next steps announced.

BLOCK I

Bilbao · Donostia / San Sebastián — Euskadi

27-28-29 of May 2026

Regional Impact Trade Alliance

Second Catalytic Encounter

For more information: rita.meeting2026@ecodes.org