Finnova team in Brussels visits the main European institutions

• These visits have provided an inside look at how the European institutions work
• Our team visited the European Committee of the Regions, the House of European History, Experience Europe and the Parlamentarium

  24/07/2023, Brussels. On 18 and 19 July 2023, the Finnova team in Brussels made a series of visits to get an insider's view of how the institutions work. Thanks to this initiative, the staff has gathered experiences of workers of the institutions, as well as getting closer to the actions carried out by the European Union bodies in a more playful way.   The series of visits began on Tuesday 18 July, with a lecture at the headquarters of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), where our team was able to learn about the functioning of the body. Marcial Méndez Magán, a member of the institution, explained the aims and remits of the CoR, which will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year. The CoR is a political assembly made up of elected regional and local members, serving the cause of European integration and ensuring the institutional representation of all the territories, regions, cities and municipalities of the Union. It also serves as a meeting place where regions and cities can share best practices and engage in dialogue with the European institutions. In addition, during the visit, different concerns about the functioning of the institutions were shared.   Next, our team visited the House of European History, a space that traces the history of the old continent from the end of the 19th century to the present day. The museum consists of 6 floors where the events of the last 250 years are reviewed in detail, from the French Revolution to the challenges brought about by the pandemic. The interactive visit is designed as a journey through paintings, objects and historical images (some of them original recordings and audios), a review of the most relevant events that have taken place all over Europe.   On Wednesday 19 July, Finnova employees in Brussels visited the Experience Europe space and the Europarlamentarium, where they were able to learn more about the activities of the European Commission and the European Parliament. Experience Europe is an initiative focused on informing about the functioning, priorities and policies of the European Commission, as well as the values of the EU, in a playful and interactive environment. During the visit, our team learned about projects funded by the Commission through virtual reality, while understanding the challenges facing the Commission in the coming years and its lines of action. Finally, the visit to the Parlamentarium was divided into two parts. The first part focused on a simulation of a legislative vote based on the co-decision system in place in the European institutions, whereby the Parliament and the Council of the Union are in charge of drafting European laws. This exercise gave the staff first-hand experience of the negotiation phases behind European laws, including committee meetings, the influence of lobbyists and the moment when the law is voted on. The second part of the visit consisted of an exhibition detailing the work of the European Parliament and its functions.   About Finnova Foundation FINNOVA is a foundation working for the promotion and development of innovation and entrepreneurship at EU level. Based in Brussels with an affiliated organisation in Spain, FINNOVA operates through collaborations and partnerships in all EU countries. FINNOVA's expertise in leading communication and dissemination activities for EU projects is combined with a strong proven track record in start-ups and business support programmes such as accelerators, incubators and selection events and award ceremonies. FINNOVA also supports EU projects through advocacy and EU-level analysis of the legal and regulatory framework and barriers, to support the advancement of innovation across Europe.