When an 18-kilometre-long tunnel opens between Denmark and Germany, it will not only change travel times. It will change the movement of the workforce, the infrastructure of transport, the market opportunities for businesses, and the planning horizons of municipalities.
Femern Belt Days start on Saturday, 14 June, and the first two days are about dialogue, democracy, development, and cooperation. In short, a democracy festival in Lübeck, where up to 50,000 visitors are expected.
Monday, 16 June will be something entirely different. Here, decision-makers, researchers, business people, and civil servants will gather in Lübeck to discuss the future of the Femern region.
Here, as a stakeholder in the region, you can gain an overview, insight, and influence on how development will be approached - and by whom. Here, political decision-makers, strategic thinkers, and the people who need to make things work in practice will meet.
The day offers two blocks of parallel sessions - six in the morning and six in the afternoon. Here is the complete overview with focus, names, and angles. Not all names are in place yet, but the programme points are.
Opening of the day: 9:00 to 10:15
The conference opens at 9:00 by the hosts Simone Mischke (NDR) and Michael Reiter (DR), who set the framework for the day with short introductions and practical information.
Keynote: Northern Green Collaboration
The first presentation of the conference is about how the Fehmarn region - and Northern Europe in general - can take a leading role in the green transition. The focus is both on the political agenda and on concrete initiatives aimed at creating growth through sustainability. Discussions include electrification, logistics, collaboration, and climate goals from a common regional perspective.
Political Debate: Cross-border Green Policy
A strong political panel discusses how the Fehmarn connection can be used as a driver for climate-friendly development. Here, transport, energy, and regional development are linked with concrete initiatives - and with a sharp political edge. Participants: Werner Schwarz (Minister, SH), Ulrika Heie (Swedish Parliament), Sofia Hedén (Malmö), as well as representatives from the Danish Parliament and the Bundestag.
Morning at 10:30
There are six parallel sessions here, so it's important to choose wisely.
Combined Freight Transport - Opportunities and Collaboration after the Tunnel Opening
The tunnel will be a turning point for freight transport in Europe - but only if the stakeholders collaborate. The session showcases traffic simulations and discusses the shift from road to rail in a European context. All of this is viewed in light of the EU's TEN-T programme, which is a network of main transport corridors aimed at connecting Europe with efficient and sustainable links.
Participants: Göran Cars (Europakorridoren), Michael Stuwe (INEF), Michail Stahlhut (Hupac), Henrik Dahlin (Green Cargo), Armin Riedl (Kombiverkehr), Dirk Steffes (TX Logistik), Stev Etzrodt (BODE), Jörg Ullrich (logRegio)
Tourism in 2029 - what experiences should greet the guests?
What should the region offer when travel time is halved? The workshop generates ideas for future tourism offerings and provides stakeholders the opportunity to contribute directly to upcoming projects. Work is done at theme tables focusing on concrete solutions and contact exchange. Participants: Ostsee-Holstein-Tourismus, IHK Lübeck, Lübeck & Travemünde Marketing, Herzogtum Lauenburg Marketing, EGOH, Stormarn, Tourismusagentur Schleswig-Holstein
Scandinavian transport - from vision to railway tracks
How do we avoid the tunnel becoming just another motorway? Debate on green mobility, Helsingborg-Helsingør connection, Øresund Metro, and Nordic logistics strategy. The session is organised by the STRING network, a political collaboration between regions and major cities in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Germany, working for sustainable infrastructure. Participants: Ulrika Heie (Swedish Parliament), Anette Solli (Akershus), Lars Gaardhøj (Region H), Stefan Seidler (Bundestag), representative from the Nordic Council
Smart Cities in Practice - Experiences from Næstved and Lübeck
How do two different cities work with digital governance, citizen solutions, and data infrastructure? A session with practice at the centre - and perspectives for the municipality of the future. Here, differences in governance, IT structures, and user needs are discussed. Participants: Lars Borg (Næstved Municipality) and Alexander Kraake (Lübeck).
SMEs with International Ambitions - How Do They Get Support?
How does the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) help small and medium-sized enterprises grow internationally and sustainably? The session provides concrete tools and shows examples of how cooperation between Denmark and Northern Germany works in practice.
Participants: Annette Moritz (EEN Hamburg/SH)
Ammunition in the Sea - What Do We Do About the Most Dangerous Legacy of the Past?
Millions of tonnes of old ammunition threaten the marine environment in the Baltic Sea. Here, the new centre MUNIMAR is presented, and participants gain insight into both the authorities' strategy and the results of research. There is a call for cooperation between politics, industry, and research. Participants: Alexander Bach (Ministry of Environment SH), Jens Greinert (GEOMAR), Sabine Schulz (IHK SH)
Afternoon at 13:30
After lunch, there are again six different sessions to choose from. Not all guests are fully confirmed.
Security in the Baltic Sea Area - Civil, Economic, and Military Resilience
The tunnel plays a role in supply security and military mobility. The session discusses the strategic importance of infrastructure for the Baltic Sea region and how civil and military preparedness is integrated with economic development. Participants: Veronika Wand-Danielsson (ambassador in Berlin), Hans Wallmark (ambassador in Copenhagen), representatives from DK and DE.
The Future of Green Transport via the Fehmarn Connection
How is the tunnel's potential for freight and passengers utilised? Transport leaders discuss capacity, operations, and the future of green railways. Here, visions meet the reality that must be built on both sides of the connection. Participants: Henrik Dahlin (Green Cargo), Carl Adam Holmberg (Snälltåget), Arne Beck (Nah.SH), Linus Eriksson (Øresund Bridge), Mats Almgren (SJ)
The Fehmarn Connection in a European Perspective - TEN-T and Growth
The Fehmarn project is part of the EU's TEN-T Scandinavian-Mediterranean corridor, one of the nine major transport corridors connecting Europe from north to south. This session places the project in a strategic and political EU perspective. Participants: representatives from Femern A/S
Innovation and Startups in the Fehmarnbelt Region
How can entrepreneurship and innovation be strengthened in the border region? The session showcases examples from Interreg projects, which are EU-funded cross-border collaboration initiatives. Participants gain insight into networks, support schemes, and cases.
Participants: Frank Schröder-Oeynhausen and partners from Technikzentrum Lübeck
Urban Planning and Settlement in the New Border Region
How should we live and plan in a region with new connections and increased accessibility? The session focuses on housing development, settlement, and coherence in urban planning. Participants: Josephine Saabye (Rural Agency), Anna Sofie Hvid (Rural Agency), Anika Slawski (TH Lübeck)
Fehmarnbelt as a Cross-Border Region - Maps, Data, and Scenarios
The ESPON CrossGov project, part of the EU's analytical programme for regional planning, presents new data and maps on how the Fehmarnbelt region is developing. After the presentation, governance, cooperation, and future scenarios are discussed in a workshop format. Participants: Tobias Chilla (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg)
Keynote at 15:00
The final keynote of the day is delivered by Pat Cox, the EU's coordinator for the Scandinavian-Mediterranean corridor in the TEN-T programme. With both political experience and strategic insight, he focuses on the role of the Fehmarn connection in Europe's infrastructure and cohesion.
