An observer programme featuring seven nations interested in potentially hosting the continental multi-sport event in four years’ time, is being held today in The Netherlands second-largest city.

The Dutch city is hosting the first-ever edition of the EPC which comprises of 10 Para sports with some offering direct qualification to next year’s Paralympic Games in Paris.

EPC officials hope the event will be held every four years and staged in the year preceding the Paralympics.

Today saw representatives from seven countries given a guided tour of the Rotterdam Ahoy which is holding most of the Para sports.

insidethegames joined the tour that included officials from Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Turkey.

A further country has also expressed an interest but was not present for the observer programme.

Among those present on the tour was Kurt Rathmes, head of department for sport, media and tourism at the Minister of the German-speaking Community of Belgium.

"I am very impressed with all the things they have organised for this event," Rathmes told insidethegames.

"Whenever there is anything in The Netherlands it is done very professionally.

"I am sure it will be a good first edition of the European Para Championships.

"What we plan do is organise the European [Youth Summer] Olympic Festival.

"We have made a bid for 2027 in Antwerp and we will look at how we go on over the next years but at the moment the Paralympic Movement is very big, it’s progressive and we will see how we can help them."

Peter Strežo is part of a delegation from Slovakia that is looking at the possibility of hosting the EPC in future.

"I think the tour was amazing for us," said Strežo.

"It was very inspiring and we are full of ideas.

"If we can divide everything by 10 we can possibly make something smaller.

"Such a huge event is not in our plans at the moment but maybe in the future when we progress we can hopefully make something similar."

Participants in the observer programme were shown around various venues, as well as the Athletes’ Home and press centre before heading to Schouwburgplein in the city centre which is hosting today’s boccia and wheelchair tennis finals.

They were also given insights into the running of a number of other areas, including transportation, accreditation, anti-doping and volunteering.

EPC founder Eric Kersten and European Paralympic Committee President Raymon Blondel were on hand to answer any questions from interested parties, while there was also a video message from International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons.

"We are extremely thankful that there are so many countries interested in this concept," said Kersten.

"I think it fits with the theme of inclusion to combine Para sports.

"Sometimes you see big multisport events struggling to find hosts.

"We haven’t found one yet as we are in the start of the process.

"The goal is to have the bid documents in by December 20 this year and then we can start a review period with the European Paralympic Committee for sites visits and hopefully we will have a city for 2027 next year.

"There are seven countries here present.

"We have three that have shown interest, one of them was here at the beginning of the week.

"They couldn’t make it and two from this observer programme have asked to hand over the information provided today so it’s great."