17.07.2026
Dear Sir or Madam,
In this issue, we report on the meetings of the Dresden Region Steering Group that have taken place. We also look back on the three participatory workshops held in the districts of Bautzen, Meissen, and Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains, where we received many important insights to guide us on our path toward establishing the Dresden Region Municipal Association.
We also look ahead to the regional conference “Working Together Effectively—On the Path to the Dresden Region Municipal Association,” which will take place on August 31, 2026, in Dresden.
Dr. Ralf Müller, Spokesperson for the Dresden Experience Region
Joint Meeting of the Dresden Region Steering Group and the Mayors’ Conference
On February 2, 2026, the 2nd meeting of the Dresden Region Steering Group and the 37th Mayors’ Conference of the Dresden Experience Region took place.
Dr. Ralf Müller, mayor of Dohna, was re-elected as spokesperson for the Dresden Experience Region, and Mr. Kühn, Deputy Mayor for Urban Development, Construction, Transportation, and Real Estate of the State Capital of Dresden, was re-elected as deputy spokesperson for a two-year term.
The temporary Dresden Region Steering Group unanimously approved the admission of the cities of Bautzen, Bischofswerda, Dippoldiswalde, Freiberg, Großenhain, Hoyerswerda, Kamenz, Neustadt in Saxony, and Riesa as advisory members.
It was also decided that the city of Bautzen, represented by Mayor Karsten Vogt, would serve as an advisory member of the working group and thus, among other things, represent the newly admitted cities in the Dresden Region Steering Group.
Another item on the agenda of the steering group’s meeting was the resolution to continue the ongoing FR-Regio project “Intensifying Cooperation for the Development of the Dresden Region as a European Semiconductor Hub.” This paves the way for the establishment of a municipal association, which is scheduled to take place at the end of 2027.
Results of the Study on Labor Force and Population Trends Now Available Online
In 2025, the CIMA Institute for Regional Economics GmbH, based in Hanover, conducted a study on labor force and population trends. To this end, future job requirements and the associated impacts on population trends and housing needs were determined in the “Dresden Region” study area—comprising 96 potential member municipalities—based on two scenarios.
In the baseline scenario, a total of 6,800 new jobs and an influx of approximately 5,500 households into the region were projected by 2032. In the expansion scenario, a total of 10,200 new jobs and an influx of 8,200 new households into the region were projected.
In summary, the study shows that the projected labor force needs can only be partially met by regional resources. Furthermore, in both scenarios, the distribution of employees’ and families’ places of residence is predominantly split, with about two-thirds in the state capital of Dresden and one-third in the surrounding area.
The study is available on the project website: CIMA Study
Results of the Study on Housing Potential Now Online
In 2025, KEM Kommunalentwicklung Mitteldeutschland GmbH conducted a study on housing potential in the “Dresden Region,” which includes 96 potential member municipalities. In the short to medium term, housing potential was ultimately identified in a total of 71 cities and municipalities.
In summary, the study indicates a total housing potential of 73,400 housing units, of which 48,500 housing units can be realized by 2035.
The study is available on the project website: Housing Potential Study
Online Information Session on Intermunicipal Associations
On March 6, 2026, a video conference was held for potential member municipalities in preparation for the establishment of the joint “Region Dresden” municipal association. The discussion focused on already established and successful city-suburban area collaborations. For this reason, Ms. Krebser, Executive Director of the Lower Saxony/Bremen Municipal Association (Kommunalverbund Niedersachsen/Bremen e. V.), and Ms. Engelke, Deputy Executive Director of the Berlin-Brandenburg Municipal Neighborhood Forum (Kommunales Nachbarschaftsforum Berlin-Brandenburg e. V.), were invited to serve as keynote speakers.
In keynote presentations lasting about 30 minutes each, they spoke about their associations and, in particular, about the founding process, goals and topics, the organization, and the added value of intermunicipal cooperation. Following a concluding Q&A session, they offered valuable tips for the next steps toward establishing a joint municipal association for the Dresden region.
We would therefore like to extend our sincere thanks to Ms. Krebser and Ms. Engelke for their time and for presenting their networks!
Participatory Workshops on the “Dresden Region Municipal Association”
From late March through mid-April, three participatory workshops were held in the districts of Bautzen, Meissen, and Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains as part of the process toward establishing the Dresden Region Municipal Association. Representatives from the potential member municipalities, the counties, and the regional planning associations were invited. The goal of the workshops was to coordinate the substantive and organizational direction of the municipal association, thereby laying a solid foundation for the implementation plan and the next steps toward its establishment. Forty-one of 96 municipalities, 4 of 4 districts, and both regional planning associations accepted the invitation.
During the first phase of the workshops, participants focused on the substantive direction of the municipal association. As a result, a wide range of potential projects, tasks, and roles for the future municipal association were compiled across the three workshops. The proposals put forward were prioritized on-site by the participants. Subsequently, the results from the three workshops were consolidated, the projects and tasks were grouped into key focus areas, and their content was further refined.
In the second phase of the workshops, participants focused on the organizational and structural framework of the municipal association. To this end, four topics—“administrative office,” “voting rights,” “financing,” and “membership structure”—were defined in advance, and several models or proposals were developed for each. On-site, the participants voted for their respective preferences.
The results of both phases are of great importance for our path toward establishing the municipal association. They outline the framework for substantive and organizational cooperation, reveal expectations, hopes, and wishes, and at the same time highlight red lines. All of this serves as an essential foundation for developing the implementation plan in the coming weeks.
We would therefore like to express our sincere thanks to all participants for their time and insights, as well as for the constructive dialogue.
Results of the Participation Workshops
3rd Meeting of the Dresden Region Steering Group
On June 15, 2026, the 3rd meeting of the Dresden Region Steering Group took place at the Börse Coswig.
The temporary Dresden Region Steering Group unanimously approved the admission of the cities of Bautzen, Bischofswerda, Dippoldiswalde, Freiberg, Großenhain, Hoyerswerda, Kamenz, Neustadt in Saxony, and Riesa, as well as the district of Central Saxony, as voting members. In addition, the city of Bautzen was admitted to the working group as a voting member with immediate effect.
Another key item on the meeting’s agenda was the approval of the financing plan for the FR-Regio Project 2.
Following the resolutions, the results of the participation phase were presented, along with recommendations for substantive and organizational cooperation within the “Kommunalverbund Region Dresden e. V.” Subsequently, the draft communication concept, the key points of the implementation concept, and the initial results of the commercial land potential analysis were presented.
Regional Conference “Working Together Effectively—On the Path to the Dresden Region Municipal Association”
On August 31, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., the regional conference “Effective Together—On the Path to the Dresden Region Municipal Association” will take place in Dresden. The focus will be on the process to date aimed at intensifying regional cooperation, as well as the substantive and structural orientation of the Dresden Region Municipal Association. Invitations have been sent to the 96 potential member municipalities as well as representatives from counties, regional planning associations, ministries, chambers, and associations.
We ask those interested to register by August 24, 2026, using the link sent to you.
New Project Staff Member on Board
Eric Schwarzrock from the Office of Urban Planning and Mobility of the State Capital of Dresden has been supporting the Erlebnisregion Dresden office since March 1, 2026. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration.
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