Context:

Cities and regions play a key role in facilitating Europe’s Twin Transition. Ensuring their more active participation in EU programmes would require more direct and innovative sources of funding. The Digital Decade 2030 Programme seeks to guide Europe’s digital transformation by setting clear targets in key areas like digital infrastructure, skills and public services, and by establishing a framework for multi-country projects (MCPs).

• MCPs provide an important tool to drive collective investment across EU members, pool resource in high-priority areas, boost impact, and bridge the digital divide. They can be implemented via several instruments, including the European Digital Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs).

• EDICs are a recently established innovative funding and legal mechanism. They bring together EU, national, and private sources of funding, to facilitate cross-border investments in priority areas. A key tool for developing innovative, interoperable solutions, they facilitate the sharing and reuse of resources among public authorities, strengthening synergies and fostering innovation.

Focus of the session:

On November 13, the Financial and the Legal working groups of Living-in.EU are co-organising an online session dedicated to the EDICs and MCPs. In this webinar, we invite Living-in.EU members to learn more about recent developments and opportunities surrounding MCPs and EDICs, and their implications for public administrations, and in particular cities and regions.

Following an overview of the policy context, the framework of EDICs, and latest updates, we will hear directly from representatives of already existing EDICs and EDICs in preparation about their progress priorities, and activities, followed by a Q&A and discussion session.

Registration & Draft Agenda

14:00-14:10 | Welcome and introduction

• Ana Georgieva, Forum and Project Officer, Eurocities; Living-in.EU Financial WG coordinator

14:10 – 14:25 | Overview of the EDICs and Multi-Country Projects: latest updates and opportunities for public authorities

• Beata Bartosova, Programme Manager, Multi Country Project Accelerator, DG CNECT

14:25 – 14:40 | Deep-dive into the LDT Towards the CitiVERSE EDIC: Opportunities for local innovative transformation

• Jan Wester, Director of the LDT CitiVERSE EDIC
• Jordi Ortuno Ribe, Deputy Chair of the LDT CitiVERSE EDIC, Barcelona City Council

14:40 – 14:55 | Overview of the focus and progress towards the EDIC for Mobility and Logistics Data

• Jon Kuiper, Senior Advisor Data Strategy

14:55 – 15:10 | Overview of the focus and progress towards the Cancer Image Europe (EUCAIM) EDIC

• Ana Miguel Blanco, PhD, EUCAIM sustainability lead

15:10 – 15:25 | Q&A and discussion

15:25 – 15:30 | Conclusion and next steps

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the webinar! In case you have questions or need further information, please do not hesitate to reach out to ana.georgieva@eurocities.eu.