On 5 February in Brussels, the Gothenburg Convention Bureau, a member of the EU CVB Network, joined fellow European convention bureaux in welcoming 25 association representatives to a networking lunch. The lunch continued the network’s tradition of fostering meaningful conversations with the international and European association community.

The lunch was held at Entropy, a fully plant-based restaurant led by Chef Elliott Van de Velde, Young Chef of the Year 2025 in Brussels, and chemist Adeline Barras. Entropy also serves as the gastronomic side and financial support of the non-profit Hearth Project, dedicated to fighting food waste and cooking for people in need. Guests enjoyed a seasonal, thoughtfully designed menu that reflected both the sustainable philosophy of the restaurant and the EU CVB Network’s shared commitment to responsible event practices.
The event provided an informal setting for open exchange between association representatives and members of the EU CVB Network.

“What I really valued about the EU CVB Network lunch was the opportunity to meet several destinations at the same time, in a relaxed and informal setting. It was a time efficient way to be introduced to potential destinations for upcoming conferences”, said Dagmar de Graef, European Scientific Working Group on Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses.

“The EU CVB lunch was a great opportunity to connect with association peers and learn about what the group of convention bureaux can help associations with”, said Nadège Mandie, Eurelectric.

Commenting on the event, Maaike Hamann, on behalf of the EU CVB Network, said:
“Our annual events are an opportunity to build relationships and have open conversations with our association partners. Hosting this year’s lunch in Brussels at Entropy allowed us to pair meaningful dialogue with a celebration of sustainability and innovation, values that resonate across our network and with our association partners.”

The EU CVB Network is a collaborative alliance of eight European convention bureaux representing Florence, Gothenburg, Ljubljana, Lyon, Porto, Rotterdam, Salzburg and Valencia. Together, these cities offer associations coordinated access to eight meetings destinations, united by shared values around sustainability, innovation and personal engagement.

The Brussels event follows other successful networking events in cities such as Porto, London, and Geneva, and they have become a core part of the EU CVB Network’s engagement with association representatives.

For questions, please contact:
Ulrika Scoliège, Gothenburg Convention Bureau
ulrika.scoliege@goteborg.com, +46 70 281 76 73
eucvbnetwork.com