Living in EU feed

Living-in.EU at the 10th European Summit of Regions and Cities 2024

Ms Michelle Gonzalez Torres — Mon, 11 Mar 2024 15:46:16 +0000

Living-in.EU at the 10th European Summit of Regions and Cities 2024 Ms Michelle Go… 11 March 2024

The European Summit of Regions and Cities is back for its 10th edition, coinciding with the European Committee of the Regions' 30th anniversary. From March 18th to 19th, Mons, Belgium, will host this dynamic gathering where local and regional leaders will discuss democracy, sustainable development, EU enlargement, and the aftermath of the Ukraine conflict.

The Living-in.EU movement will be present with its stand, highlighting its dedication to supporting cities and regions in their journey toward digital transformation. Through the provision of diverse digital solutions, tools, and guidance, Living-in.EU enables the reuse and scaling of technologies tailored to the needs of cities and regions. Attending the conference will afford us the opportunity to engage with numerous stakeholders.

With global challenges in focus, the summit aims to unite perspectives worldwide. It's a chance for meaningful collaboration, steering Europe towards a more inclusive and innovative future. Discover more!

Event Details:

Dates: March 18-19, 2024
Location: Mons, Belgium

CommuniCity Third Open Call Round - Info Session

Ms Michelle Gonzalez Torres — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 11:38:46 +0000

CommuniCity Third Open Call Round - Info Session Ms Michelle Go… 8 March 2024

About the Project
CommuniCity is a transformative citizen-centred EU funded project. It will launch 100 Tech Pilots in Europe in urban and peri-urban areas to empower marginalised communities. They are working together with companies, organisations, associations, tech providers, and citizens to develop solutions to overcome digital and urban challenges.

CommuniCity Open Calls
The Open Calls invite companies and associations to participate in a process of co-creation, where citizens, associations, city officials, and policy makers come together to improve the quality of life for citizens.
The project is going to launch its third and final open call in September 2024. During the third round of Open Calls, the CommuniCity project aims to run over 60 pilot projects across Europe.

Join "CommuniCity Info Session"
This session, dedicated to all cities interested in joining the third round of Open Calls, will be held online on March 12, 2024, from 14:30 to 16:00 CET.
Participants will gain a comprehensive overview of the initiative and insights into the potential benefits for their cities in the upcoming round starting in September. Representatives from participating cities will share their firsthand experiences, offering attendees a direct opportunity for engagement. Representatives from participating cities will share their experiences, and you'll have the opportunity to engage with them directly.

AGENDA

14:30 Welcome
14:40 Overview of the CommuniCity project and introduction to the 3rd Open Call Josephine Di Pino – OASC
15:00 Learnings from the 1st and 2nd CommuniCity Open Calls Anne-Mari Sandell & Silja Peltonen – Forum Virium Helsinki
15:15 Technical framework and Porto’s experience Adeeb Sidani – Porto Digital
15:30 Amsterdam’s experience Machteld Combé – City of Amsterdam
15.45-16.00 Q&A Session

Don't miss this opportunity to be part of the discussion. Register now to secure your spot for the event on March 12th!

The LDT CitiVERSE EDIC is a fact!

Ms Michelle Gonzalez Torres — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 14:35:41 +0000

The LDT CitiVERSE EDIC is a fact! Ms Michelle Go… 4 March 2024

On February 7, the European Commission officially announced the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC) to implement the European Union's "Local Digital Twins & CitiVERSE" initiative and to connect the local digital twins created in member cities. The Decision on setting up the LDT CitiVERSE EDIC was published in the Official Journal of the European Union at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202400459.

An EDIC is a new instrument that will develop large-scale multi-country projects in the frame of the Digital Decade Programme. Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Latvia, Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain are the founding members of this EDIC. More member states can join on an ongoing basis. Cities and regions from all EU Member States will be able to join the EDIC once it is established as a legal entity and the Assembly is set up. This is expected before the end of 2024.

The LDT CitiVERSE EDIC is particularly relevant for local and regional authorities because it will use digital infrastructure regardless of where in the EU it has been developed. This approach will foster data and services technical inoperability and the development of common standards, thus fighting EU digital fragmentation. In other words, it will be possible to buy and use a local digital twin component developed in one member state across the single market. This is open opportunities for digital SMEs and businesses beyond national borders, and cities and regions will be able to choose from the best value for money. Members will co-develop joint initiatives and tenders for economies of scale and aggregating EU technology at world level. The EDIC will identify and aggregate common assets from members creating bigger value by joint delivery and service.

Living-in.EU signatories Valencia, Barcelona, Riga and other have been actively involved in shaping this new instrument.

Valencia has been chosen as a seat for the EDIC, while Riga has been appointed as national coordinator for Latvia. Each participating member state will have to appoint their national coordinator. According to Ernesto Faubel, Head of the Smart City Office of the City of Valencia and chair of the LDT Citiverse EDIC working group, this is a great opportunity for the city to position itself as a reference city in the field of smart cities and knowledge in innovation. In addition to hosting the EDIC head quarters in Valencia, the City Council, through its Smart City Office, will preside over the EDIC assembly, the highest governing and decision-making body of the consortium.

In Barcelona, deputy-chair of the EDIC, a recently launched Super Computing Centre will provide high-performing capabilities to develop and run powerful city digital twins’ components. Jordi Ortuño from the Barcelona City Council has been a driving force for this new instrument. He also chairs the monitoring and measuring working group of the Living-in.EU community and is an active contributor to the spread of the LORDIMAS tool. He firmly believes that working together and pulling resources will enable communities and local SMEs to develop and implement technological solutions faster and more effectively in line with European and global standards.

In September 2023, Living-in.EU organised an info session on the EDICs, and we are planning more on this in the next months.

Call for action: Help shape the future interoperability assessment guidelines!

Mario Restuccia — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 14:58:47 +0000

Call for action: Help shape the future interoperability assessment guidelines! Mario Restuccia 12 February 2024

Starting from the beginning of 2025, the upcoming Interoperable Europe Act introduces mandatory interoperability assessments for the digital public services of European public administrations involving cross-border data exchange. This requirement (set out in Article 3 of the Act proposal) will be applicable for the EU institutions, EU Member States, as well as for public administrations at the regional and local level.

The Interoperability assessments are crucial instruments in order to discover efficient ways towards more cross-border interoperability among European public administrations, to test if decisions can be digitally implemented, and to reduce administrative burden and save time for citizens. Preparatory work for the drafting of the guidelines for these important assessments has already started with the goal to create good assessment practices that bring the most benefits and the least of burden to public administrations.

For this reason, public administrations in the EU will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of these guidelines by participating in a pilot phase organised by Interoperable Europe.

The test guidelines of the pilot phase aim to help the assessment of the European interoperability of your cross-border data exchanging digital public services, and to communicate the first experiences, the needs, daily realities and concrete cases that result from it. This feedback will be of great value to the Commission and will help to define the eventual assessment guidelines to develop the most efficient assessment tools that are to be adopted by the Interoperable Europe board – once established later this year.

You can indicate your interest by clicking on the following EU-survey.

Preliminary planning outlines the following time schedule:

Deadline for signalling your interest: 20 March 2024.

Start of pilot performance: Beginning of April 2024.

Sharing the results of the assessment together with feedback about the piloting exercise: The latest by the end of May 2024.

Driving the climate transition with digital tools and local digital twins

Lucia Garrido — Fri, 02 Feb 2024 10:58:55 +0000

Driving the climate transition with digital tools and local digital twins Lucia Garrido 2 February 2024

In the quest for climate neutrality, cities wield significant influence, accounting for a significant share of energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and having a direct impact on the well-being of their residents. As Europe strives to achieve the Green Deal's target of reducing emissions by 55% by 2030,cities are emerging as key players, leveraging innovative approaches and digital technologies to drive the transition towards a sustainable future.

Mission Cities

At the forefront of this movement is the Climate-Neutral & Smart Cities Mission, a collaborative initiative supported by the NetZeroCities project, aimed at delivering 100 (+12) climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030. This mission not only sets ambitious targets but also establishes these cities as hubs for experimentation and innovation, paving the way for broader European adoption by 2050.

The Climate-Neutral & Smart Cities Mission represents a crucial step towards achieving cities’ climate goals. By integrating digital technologies and local digital twins, cities can unlock new opportunities for sustainable growth and innovation.

The twin transition

One of the fundamental principles underpinning this mission is the recognition that the green and digital transitions are mutually reinforcing. As cities work towards their climate and environmental goals, digital technologies play a catalytic role in driving the green transition forward. Digital tools prove instrumental for cities to provide cleaner air, safer transport, and reduce congestion and noise.

From monitoring and tracking emissions to simulation and forecasting, digital technologies provide precise insights and enable informed decision-making. They enable cities to monitor environmental parameters in real-time, responding quickly to emerging challenges.

Simulation and forecasting improve efficiency and promote sustainable practices by anticipating wear and identifying opportunities for repair and upgrade. Virtualisation, including e-books and video conferences, contributes to reducing environmental impact by promoting dematerialisation, while information and communication technologies empower consumers to make sustainable choices.

Cities are taking action

Innovative approaches are shaping urban landscapes across Europe. From Barcelona to Rotterdam, cities are implementing strategies that leverage digital twins and other digital tools to achieve sustainability goals while enhancing urban livability.

In Barcelona, the first phase of development of their digital twin aimed to assess the city's compliance with service provision and facilitate the transition towards a 15-minute city concept. The platform, spearheaded by the Barcelona City Council and the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC), demonstrates a proactive approach towards enhancing urban connectivity and sustainability.

Similarly, in Bologna, efforts are underway to develop a local digital twin to address contemporary challenges and drive concrete change. By leveraging data and knowledge, the city aims to tackle environmental, economic, and social challenges while fostering responsive territorial governance.

Helsinki stands out for its pioneering work in building a 3D city model and digital twin, enabling advanced analyses and simulations to optimise solutions. The model hosts the Energy and Climate Atlas provides information about the building stock and the emissions reduction potential in heating.

Meanwhile, Rotterdam's Roadmap Next Economy and the Ruggedised project are transforming large districts of the Dutch city into low-carbon, resource-efficient areas through smart integration of energy systems and the development of a 3D city operations platform. These initiatives, driven by the city's commitment to sustainability, showcase the transformative potential of digital technologies in building resilient and sustainable cities.

In Amsterdam, the 3D city operations platform facilitates real-time monitoring and communication of energy usage.

As Europe embarks on its journey towards climate neutrality, cities serve as testbeds for innovative solutions. The Climate-Neutral & Smart Cities Mission, underpinned by digital innovation, marks a paradigm shift in urban sustainability

BDTI: an opportunity for public administrations to experiment with data for free

Genoveva Gil — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 15:41:18 +0000

BDTI: an opportunity for public administrations to experiment with data for free

Big Data Test Infrastructure

Genoveva Gil 29 January 2024

The Big Data Test Infrastructure (BDTI) provides a ready-to-use, free of charge cloud-based analytics test environment for Public Administrations in the European Member States to experiment with open-source tools and to prototype solutions before deploying them in the production environment on their own premises. Any Public Administration at any level can request to use BDTI to perform analysis and experiments on their public sector information, for a period of six months, completely for free. The test environment provided by the BDTI consists of several open-source solutions, data sources and the required cloud infrastructure that includes the virtual machines, analytics clusters, storage facilities and networking facilities. BDTI offers the opportunity of starting to get insights from PAs public information, understanding how they can move towards data-driven decision making.

BDTI was created by the European Commission in 2019 and is funded by the Digital Europe Programme (DEP).

As part of their resources, they have recently launched the following course: "Enabling a Data-informed Public Sector: An Introductory Course to BDTI Essentials." The course is primarily designed for professionals and students in the public sector, academics, and citizens, though its insights into data analytics and utilisation of open-source tools are valuable for a wide range of audiences.

This free course taught in English is centred around a highly practical use case: Analysing green project funding and initiatives in highly polluted EU regions, using open data from data.europa.eu and other open sources. It comprehensively introduces Big Data Test Infrastructure (BDTI), covering essential topics like data access, cleaning, analytics, and visualisation.

Participating in this course will prepare individuals to build their own data use cases. After this course, they will be ready to apply for BDTI and build a public sector data use case using the platform. It is an excellent opportunity for those interested in data-driven decision-making and public-sector innovation.

We encourage all interested professionals, students, and public servants to register for this free course. For more information and registration details, visit their course page, or Living-in.EU events page.

Kick-off of the Smart Communities Network

Lucia Garrido — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 08:37:42 +0000

Kick-off of the Smart Communities Network Lucia Garrido 29 January 2024

On January 16, 2024, the Smart Communities Network, a coalition of associations representing cities and municipalities in EU member states, held its first online meeting. This meeting marked the beginning of a collaborative journey towards digital transformation and community development. The Network has welcomed the first associations selected.

During the meeting, the European Commission outlined the purpose of this Smart Communities Network. It is part of the first phase of the Local Digital Twins toolbox project, which aims to integrate local communities into the EU's digital transition efforts, recognising the essential role of municipalities in this digital era.

The Open & Agile Smart Cities Network, leading the set-up of the network, introduced the partners involved in the network, to help raise awareness about digitalisation in the EU.

Serendipity, the partner leading the work on dissemination and training events, provided insights into the network's mission. Their plan involves each association hosting two sessions in their respective countries. These sessions will educate cities and municipalities about crucial EU digital topics, and immerse them in practical digital tools, services, and projects, equipping them to embark on their digital transformation journeys.

In the months to come, network members will meet four times between June 2024 and September 2025. These sessions will serve as platforms for knowledge-sharing, allowing members to exchange valuable insights on their strategies for the two national digitalisation sessions. Network members will collaborate closely with project partners to effectively organise the dissemination and training sessions. They will actively seek new members from EU countries not yet included in the network. Members of the Network will sign a Memorandum of Understanding, formalising their cooperation with the European Commission

With strong commitment and a lot of expertise, this Smart Communities Network will bring meaningful change to cities and local communities in the EU in the digital age.

Make a note of Monday, June 3, 2024, as the next online meet-up for network members. It's an opportunity not to be missed.

Portugal launches its first National Smart Territories Strategy

Genoveva Gil — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 10:33:27 +0000

Portugal launches its first National Smart Territories Strategy

Living-in.EU welcomes Portugal as new signatory

Genoveva Gil 11 January 2024

On 18 December 2023, Portugal presented their first National Strategy for Intelligent Territories (NSST) and became a Living-in.EU signatory. Under the motto "transforming data into action", it is a benchmark for making life easier for people and companies through data, in an efficient and sustainable management of the territory based on innovation and transparency.

Estratégia Nacional de Territórios Inteligentes (ENTI) already has an investment of 60 million euros under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). In its design and collaborative construction, local authorities, regional coordination and development commissions, intermunicipal communities, and various entities, including companies in the technology and telecommunications areas, higher education institutions and bodies integrated into the national science and technology system, actively participated.

This public policy instrument drives the implementation of 16 strategic initiatives and 31 local recommendations which, through technological solutions, make it possible to anticipate, manage and plan the needs of territories, covering both urban and rural areas, in a commitment to promoting territorial equality.

Acting in the fields of governance, society, mobility, the environment, quality of life and the economy, the various actions that make up the NSST focus, in part, on the intelligent management of essential resources, such as water, mobility or energy, among others, ensuring their efficient allocation, optimizing the functioning of cities, rural areas, forests, protected areas and communities in general.

In addition, the Strategy includes among its objectives the cooperation between local authorities, companies and academia, promoting the creation of synergies and initiatives, and aims to empower and prepare the community to face future challenges.

Underlying NSST is a change of approach towards how data can be generated, integrated, shared and analysed, and the creation of the Portugal Data Platform, coordinated by the Agency for Administrative Modernization (AMA), that will play a key role for the future of political decision making.

For the Secretary of State for Digitalisation and Administrative Modernisation, Mário Campolargo, "the relevance of the presentation of the first National Smart Territories Strategy is reflected in a set of guidelines for accelerating the transformation of municipalities and positioning Portugal as a digital nation. This strategy seeks to contribute to more informed, evidence-based public decision-making and leverage even smarter management of the territories' essential resources".

The presentation session took place at the Rectory of the New University of Lisbon and more information can be found at www.territoriosinteligentes.gov.pt.

Original author:

Joana Portugal

Assessora de Imprensa (Press) Presidência do Conselho de Ministros

Photo credits:

Telmo Miller

Define and activate your local digital journey to enable smart city and local digital twin readiness

Ms Pauline van der Geld — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 10:58:00 +0000

Define and activate your local digital journey to enable smart city and local digital twin readiness

Extended workshop for EU cities and communities

Ms Pauline van… 21 December 2023

Exciting news for Dutch municipalities! You are invited to an extended workshop designed for Dutch cities and communities on January 17th at the OASC conference in Rotterdam. This event marks the debut of the first EU Local Digital Twins initiative.

This gathering serves as a pivotal moment steering the sustainable digital development journey of local municipalities and communities across the Netherlands. Supported by the European Commission, this initiative opens doors for Dutch municipalities to connect with EU organisations dedicated to sustainable local digitalisation. It serves as an early gateway to crucial tools, funding opportunities, and insights into EU policies. Engage with fellow municipalities, associations, and initiatives to exchange invaluable best practices in your digitalisation journey.

The European initiative comprises two essential parts, with hybrid events and training sessions planned across all EU member states. For the Netherlands, this workshop on January 17th signifies the start. Subsequently, an even more comprehensive online training session will delve deeper into your city's digital journey and how the EU can assist. Stay tuned for the updated agenda.

Participation in this event expands your network, fostering collaborations to co-create innovative digital tools like the Local Digital Twins Toolbox. Additionally, it is an opportunity to enhance existing tools such as LORDIMAS, essential in evaluating a local community's digital maturity. Find the official program details at the registration form.

Registration: Please register for the workshop via this form. If you are attending the workshop in Rotterdam, we kindly ask you to also register for the OASC Conference in Eventbrite. The Zoom link for online attendees will be sent later.

We are excited to meet you in Rotterdam on the 17th to contribute to this transformative journey, shaping smarter and more connected communities across Europe. For any queries or additional information, reach out to Pauline van der Geld (pauline@serendipity.buzz).

About the Project:

LDT Lot 1: Local Digital Twins Toolbox Procurement – Pioneering Smart Community Transformation: "Increasing Awareness and Readiness of EU Communities"

This project, detailed in the Digital Europe Work Programme 2021-2022, falls under the European Commission's Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content, and Technology (DG CNECT). Its primary objective is to elevate awareness and readiness across EU communities in every Member state.

Location

nhow Hotel, Wilhelminakade 137
3072AP Rotterdam
Netherlands

Registration here!

Testing & Experimenting Trustworthy AI Facilities under Digital Europe Programme

Viviana Demonte — Tue, 19 Dec 2023 09:19:06 +0000

Testing & Experimenting Trustworthy AI Facilities under Digital Europe Programme

Follow up & Recording

Viviana Demonte 19 December 2023

On December 13th, 2023, Living-in.EU and CitCom.AI partnered to host an online webinar about Testing and Experimenting Facilities (TEFs) under the Digital Europe Programme. The event featured three speakers from the CitCom.AI consortium: Joost Haugmark Jensen, Martine Delannoy, and Petra Dalunde.

What is CitCom.AI?

TEFs, which are co-funded by the Digital Europe Programme and national funding bodies, aim to support technology providers in testing and experimenting with AI-based technologies to bring trustworthy and secure AI to the European market. Currently, TEFs have been initiated in four high-impact sectors: agri-food, healthcare, manufacturing, and Smart Cities and Communities.

CitCom.AI, which has been awarded for actualizing TEFs in the Smart Cities and Communities sector, focuses on testing and experimenting with AI-based conditions in real-world conditions to develop cities and communities. Local and regional stakeholders are among the key players involved in the initiative due to their identification of main societal needs and challenges, and their testing of AI solutions in real-life environments. CitCom.AI is divided into three main nodes: the Central node, the Nordic node, and the South node, each with a different area of focus.

TEFs in the Central-node: Experience in Digital Flanders

Digital Flanders, one of the 33 partners involved in the CitCom.AI consortium, aims to pilot use cases that consider the technological and environmental context, gathering requirements and identifying common challenges relevant to smaller cities and communities.

With the support of CitCom.AI, Digital Flanders has focused on close-to-real-life environments such as sandboxes and living labs to maximize the uptake of AI-powered solutions while minimizing the waste of time and resources.

TEFs in the Nordic-node: the RISE project

The RISE Project, developed in the Nordic Super node within CitCom.AI, has identified and tested six physical infrastructures and three digital platforms in real environments.

An example of a physical infrastructure tested under the RISE project is the Hornsgatan test zone, which aims to develop an AI system for traffic prediction and test its function in a traffic platform while complying with the AI Act and Interoperable Europe Act. If you are interested in getting involved with CitCom.AI as a city, region, community, or potential business partner, more information is available on the CitCom.AI webpage.

How to get in contact with CitCom.AI?

The recording of the session is only available to Living-in.EU signatories. If you need further information, you can check Citcom.AI website here. Or you can contact Living-in.EU secretariat (viviana.demonte@eurocities.eu or gabriela.ruseva@eurocities.eu) which will put you in contact with the main coordinators and contact persons from the three nodes.

Living in EU feed

Living-in.EU at the 10th European Summit of Regions and Cities 2024

CommuniCity Third Open Call Round - Info Session

The LDT CitiVERSE EDIC is a fact!

Call for action: Help shape the future interoperability assessment guidelines​!

Preliminary planning outlines the following time schedule:

Driving the climate transition with digital tools and local digital twins

Mission Cities

The twin transition

Cities are taking action

BDTI: an opportunity for public administrations to experiment with data for free

Big Data Test Infrastructure

Kick-off of the Smart Communities Network

Portugal launches its first National Smart Territories Strategy

Living-in.EU welcomes Portugal as new signatory

Define and activate your local digital journey to enable smart city and local digital twin readiness

Extended workshop for EU cities and communities

Testing & Experimenting Trustworthy AI Facilities under Digital Europe Programme

Follow up & Recording

Call for action: Help shape the future interoperability assessment guidelines!