Living in EU feed

Call for Cities and Solutions Providers: Survey on Conformance and Certification of Interoperable Smart City Solutions

Lucia Garrido — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 12:06:21 +0000

Call for Cities and Solutions Providers: Survey on Conformance and Certification of Interoperable Smart City Solutions

How can Certification of Interoperable Smart City Solutions Enhance Communities' Digital Transformation?

Lucia Garrido 12 November 2024

How can Certification of Interoperable Smart City Solutions Enhance Communities' Digital Transformation?

Cities and communities across Europe are increasingly relying on digital solutions to address their challenges, from enhancing mobility to improving public safety. Many are also advancing towards integrating data and solutions from multiple domains into a centralised Local Digital Platform or Local Digital Twin. To ensure these technologies work seamlessly together, this project, funded under the Digital Europe Programme, is helping the European Commission to collect insights into certification and compliance needs for interoperable smart city solutions.

This survey seeks feedback from city representatives and technology providers on current needs and practices related to interoperability mechanisms, testing, and certification. The input gathered will be crucial for assessing and developing a solid certification framework based on Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms (MIMs) that aligns with EU standards and supports cities in implementing interoperable digital solutions. Along with the other project initiatives and services (check more here), this initiative aims to accelerate digital maturity across Europe, by establishing a standardised, interoperability-compliant environment. Cities and technology providers are invited to contribute to this vision by completing the survey, which takes approximately 8 minutes.

Are you a city representative or a technology provider invested in the future of smart city interoperability? Your feedback could help shape the future of certification standards across Europe.

Participate, until the 26 November, here.

BDTI: Big Data Test Infrastructure for european public administrations

Mrs Danae Pantelide — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 09:34:33 +0000

BDTI: Big Data Test Infrastructure for european public administrations Mrs Danae Pantelide 30 October 2024

How can the Big Data Test Infrastructure help the European Public Administration overcome socio-economic problems through a data-informed public sector?

The public sector faces increasingly complex socio-economic problems that require innovative solutions. Big data and data-informed decision-making offer a pathway to better solutions, greater transparency, and enhanced trust in public administration.

The European Commission launched the Big Data Test Infrastructure (BDTI) under the Digital Europe Programme to tackle these challenges. The BDTI aims to promote the reuse of public sector data and facilitate a data-informed public sector across EU Member States. It provides public administrations with a comprehensive set of mainstream open-source tools for data storage, processing, and analytics, all hosted in the cloud and free of charge.

The BDTI offers a variety of open-source tools to facilitate data-driven projects, including data storage and processing tools for handling large datasets, analytics tools for analysis and visualisation, and cloud infrastructure for running data-intensive tasks. Its open-source nature ensures flexibility, allowing public administrations to explore different solutions cost-effectively.

Several public administrations have utilized and continue to use the BDTI to enhance decision-making processes, for instance, the University of Macedonia in Greece together with GRNET transformed data gathered through the MITOS API (Greek National Registry of Administrative Public Service) into linked data aligned with the EU standard model to support more public services, you can read more here. More successful stories can be found on our website in the following section.

Public administrations interested in using the BDTI can subscribe to the Joinup page or to “The BDTI Kitchen: Baking Data Stories” newsletter for updates on future events and initiatives.

Are you a civil servant interested in developing your own use case on the BDTI or a student and researcher eager to support a public administration? Apply for a BDTI pilot project here, or reach out to the team via EC-BDTI-PILOTS@ec.europa.eu

Local leaders mobilise to put artificial intelligence at work for citizens through enhanced public services

Theresa Sostmann — Mon, 28 Oct 2024 09:18:58 +0000

Local leaders mobilise to put artificial intelligence at work for citizens through enhanced public services

EU regions and cities representatives gathered in Tampere to discuss how artificial intelligence can improve the quality of the public sector.

Theresa Sostmann 28 October 2024

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) Commission for Economic Policy (ECON) met with Finnish top representatives on 24 and 25 October in Tampere, Finland, to discuss how to boost the adoption of Artificial Intelligence for innovative solutions in the public sector.

Local and regional authorities play a crucial role in AI adoption across the EU, acting as catalysts for innovation by promoting responsible AI development in sectors such as energy efficiency, transport, education, health, and public services. The meeting and conference of the ECON commission featured discussions on how AI can enhance public-service delivery, improve efficiency, and foster innovation at the local and regional level. ECON members emphasised the urgent need for local authorities to embrace AI technologies to better serve their citizens.

AI's potential to improve public-service efficiency through automation, optimisation, and enhanced citizen interaction was highlighted by CoR members during the conference, alongside the need to prevent an 'AI gap' between administrations that can fully utilise these technologies and those that cannot. The conference featured presentations that emphasised these points, showcasing successful AI implementations in cities like Tampere, Munich, Sofia and the Agency for Digital Modernisation in the region of Galicia, Spain.

During the meeting in Tampere, ECON members adopted the draft opinion on “Challenges and Opportunities of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Defining the Role of Regional and Local Authorities”, which puts forward a number of recommendations on how to boost the adoption of AI solutions by cities and regions.

Members highlighted that AI can foster real opportunities for progress and well-being only if used transparently, traceably, and neutrally. Recognising AI as a technology that enhances human functions, the opinion clarifies that AI replicates and accelerates human processes without replacing human creativity or activities. The opinion also underlines that a legislative framework alone will not suffice without substantial programs to enhance citizens’ awareness and education. ECON members encouraged the investment into training of staff, lifelong upskilling, recruitment and retaining of experts and creation of local AI ecosystems benefitting from cooperation between public and private entities, including also academia so that AI systems will be made accessible to those in need.

Quotes:

Dainis Turlais (LV/Renew E.), Chair of the ECON Commission and member of Rīga City Council: “Regional and local authorities face both challenges, as well as opportunities with AI adoption. Challenges include resource constraints, digital literacy, and privacy concerns. However, AI offers opportunities for smarter urban planning, efficient public services, and data-driven policies. By embracing AI responsibly, local governments can enhance citizen engagement and improve community well-being. That’s why we are devoting the ECON commission meeting and conference to these important topics.”

Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, Minister of Local and Regional Government in Finland: “Digital tools and AI technologies have become an essential part of society. A human-centered approach is essential for making sure that local and regional authorities can provide improved and personalized public services using new technologies.”

Alberto Cirio (IT/EPP), President of the Piedmont region and rapporteur on the opinion: "The proposals approved today by the ECON Commission addressed the major issue of AI from the perspective of regions, cities, and all European local authorities, regardless of their size. We highlight the great opportunities that AI offers to the regional and local public administration, while stressing the need to always safeguard users rights and to promote the ethical use of AI. We must not forget that, just as the action of public administrations must have citizens at their center and as their ultimate goal, AI must be developed starting from the human being and its needs. AI is not the magic solutions to our problems, it is a human tool and should be considered and developed as such, with a view to greater efficiency and better performance of administrations, but also with the potential to provide citizens with entirely new services."

Also during the meeting:

ECON members further adopted two draft opinions:

“Proposal for a regulation on the screening of foreign investments in the Union” drawn up by rapporteur Pehr Granfalk (SE/EPP), Member of Solna Municipal Council

“The future of the single market and the EU's competitiveness” prepared by rapporteur Martijn van Gruijthuijsen (NL/Renew), Member of the Provincial States of the province of North Brabant

More information:

In August 2024, the AI Act as the first-ever comprehensive European legal framework on AI came into force to support the development of trustworthy AI at EU level. The aim of the new rules is to ensure that AI systems respect fundamental rights, safety, and ethical principles and by addressing risks of very powerful and impactful AI models.

Re-watch the meeting here.

Contact:

Theresa Sostmann

theresa.sostmann@cor.europa.eu

The new eLearning modules on the EIF4SCC and the MIMs are now available

Mrs Danae Pantelide — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 11:56:06 +0000

The new eLearning modules on the EIF4SCC and the MIMs are now available Mrs Danae Pantelide 23 October 2024

The National Interoperability Framework Observatory (NIFO) is thrilled to announce the availability of two eLearning modules on the Interoperable Europe platform: one on the European Interoperability Framework for Smart Cities and Communities (EIF4SCC) (Part 1 and Part 2) and another one on the Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms (MIMs) (Part 1 and Part 2). Both comprehensive modules are designed to be completed in less than 20 minutes and are divided into two parts:

Theory: This section provides a deep dive into the concepts, principles, elements, and recommendations that make up the EIF4SCC. It’s an opportunity to understand the theoretical underpinnings of the framework. It delves into the core objectives, capabilities, requirements, and mechanisms that make up the MIMs. The theoretical aspects of these mechanisms are elaborated in detail for comprehensive understanding.
Practical Application: This section presents a real-life scenario featuring ‘Martina’ and ‘Pablo’ to demonstrate respectively how to effectively use the EIF4SCC framework in real-world situations and how to deal with the MIMs in practice It’s a hands-on approach to learning that bridges the gap between theory and practice.

The European Commission (DG DIGIT and DG CNECT) published the Proposal for a European Interoperability Framework for Smart Cities and Communities (EIF4SCC) in 2022.

The EIF4SCC aims to provide EU local administrations with definitions, principles, recommendations, practical use cases drawn from cities and communities from around Europe and beyond, and a common model to facilitate delivery of services to the public across domains, cities, regions and borders.

The Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms (MIMs) ensure seamless delivery of services across different domains, cities, regions, and borders. Developed and continuously updated by the Open & Agile Smart Cities (OASC) Council of Cities, MIMs allow more interoperability through the standardisation of data models, APIs, and protocols.

These eLearning modules are a step towards creating smarter, more connected communities by providing guidance and standards to facilitate the development of digital public services across domains, cities, regions and borders. It’s a key step towards creating a truly interconnected digital single market in the EU. We invite you to embark on this journey with us!

Curious to know more about how interoperability can support smart cities and communities? Additional resources are available here!

Living-in.EU Digital Assembly 2024: “Think big, start small, and scale fast”:

Lucia Garrido — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 11:13:30 +0000

Living-in.EU Digital Assembly 2024: “Think big, start small, and scale fast”:

European cities and regions leading the green and digital transformation

Lucia Garrido 17 October 2024

As part of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2024, the Living-in.EU Digital Assembly gathered key European stakeholders in Brussels on 9 October to discuss the digital transformation of cities.

The event, which took place in the Jacques Delors building of the Committee of the Regions, provided a platform for EU mayors, local and regional leaders, and stakeholders to discuss political priorities and set a strategic direction for the movement.

"Living-in.EU helped us focus not only on the economic and technological dimensions but also on the social and environmental aspects of digital transformation," said André Sobczak, Secretary General of Eurocities and moderator of the session.

Living-in.EU, connecting cities for a greener and inclusive digital future

This year's event, co-chaired by Mirja Vehkaperä, Chair of the City Board of Oulu, and Lluïsa Moret Sabidó, Mayor of Sant Boi de Llobregat, focused on fostering a people-centred digital innovation ecosystem.

Oulu was the first city to sign the “Join, Boost, Sustain” Declaration. “Oulu has 50 years of experience in radio technology. Every day, close to 3 billion people globally use technology developed in Oulu,” explained Mirja Vehkaperä in her opening remaks. Vehkaperä highlighted Oulu's Smart City 2028 roadmap, co-created with 80 local stakeholders, which focuses on collaboration across sectors, such as academia, industry, and local communities.

Vehkaperä also underlined cities' crucial role in integrating digital transformation with sustainability: “Being chair and an active member in the Living-in.EU family makes it possible to lead the way and be a bridge between EU cities and regions to answer a very relevant question: How can we boost a digital transformation that also boosts green socio-economic transformation?”

Digital inclusion, at the core of the transformation

For Sant Boi de Llobregat, digital transformation must first and foremost be inclusive, said Mayor Lluïsa Moret Sabidó. She stressed that the city is deeply committed to promoting a digital society where people, not technology, are at the centre: "We have always focused on a digital transformation that places digital rights at the forefront, ensuring the people, not the tools, are the priority."

Mayor Moret explained that their digital projects aim to ensure equal access to tools for all citizens, including the most vulnerable: “Not having basic digital skills can prevent access to public services like medical consultations, university education, or job opportunities,” she stated. In Sant Boi, digital inclusion efforts focus on eliminating barriers tied to gender, age, and socio-economic vulnerability, making sure that no one is left behind. “As public administrations that generate equality, we cannot allow this to happen,” she added.

Towards people-centred innovation

“Digital transformation is not just about technology—it is a societal challenge where technology can be embedded,” said Guido Rink, Vice-Mayor of the municipality of Emmen. He warned against the growing influence of large tech companies: “Big tech doesn’t have customers; they have hostages. We need regulation to reverse this situation,” referencing new laws like the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and Digital Services Act (DSA).

Digitalisation is the oxigen that will create opportunities to solve human challenges, only if it’s human centred and based in nature.

- Guido Rink, Vice-Mayor of Emmen

Rink also spoke about the need for public-private partnerships (PPPs) and multi-level governance in Europe, emphasising that bottom-up approaches are essential for accelerating the digital transformation of European cities. "We need to think big, start small, and scale fast”

In addition, Arnis Gulbis, Director of Riga Digital Agency, shared the impact that joining the Living-in.EU movement has had on his city’s digital strategy. “We joined this movement quite recently, but it has given a real boost to our city’s digital transformation. It worked for Riga, and it will work for any other city,” he stated. Riga’s Digital Agency, he explained, brings together academia, private sector leaders, and city officials to improve public services and infrastructure using data-driven decision-making.

Sustained funding for all municipalities

Sophie Valdenaire-Ratto, Delegate for Digital Transformation in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, discussed the critical role of regions in advancing digital transformation, especially by supporting smaller municipalities.

She highlighted the importance of securing European funds to make these initiatives viable: "We help smaller municipalities effectively access European funding." Two key projects in her region focus on cybersecurity and a shared regional infrastructure for data collection, ensuring that even financially constrained areas can participate. "It’s essential to finance territories that can't afford these technologies," she stressed, underlining the need for inclusive regional strategies.

Collaborative digital ecosystems are the way forward

In discussing how to strengthen European cities' digital ecosystems, Martin Bailey, Head of the Artificial Intelligence for Societal Good Unit at the Artificial Intelligence Office of the European Commission, highlighted the importance of investing in infrastructure. “One of the most exciting developments is our EDIC (European Digital Infrastructure Consortium), which mobilises investments to acquire infrastructure,” he said. Bailey also emphasised the importance of ensuring that cities have a direct role in the European Digital Transition, alongside member states.

The Living-in.EU Digital Assembly concluded with a signing ceremony for new and potential signatories of the "Join, Boost, Sustain" Declaration, reaffirming the commitment of cities to a sustainable and inclusive digital future. Mayor Moret highlighted the importance of collaboration: “Horizontal and vertical alliances are essential for a successful digital transition,” she said, calling for partnerships across public, private, and academic sectors, as well as across different levels of government.

Cities leading the way

The Living-in.EU Digital Assembly 2024 showcased how cities and regions across Europe are pioneering a sustainable and inclusive digital transformation. As Vehkaperä concluded, the role of cities is critical: “The role of cities is to keep the movement moving, using the tools we have to help everyone access a digital society.”

The Third CommuniCity Open Call is out now!

Mrs Danae Pantelide — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 04:59:42 +0000

The Third CommuniCity Open Call is out now!

Apply to receive up to 12,500 EUR to work on a tech-based pilot

Mrs Danae Pantelide 4 October 2024

The CommuniCity Consortium invites you to apply for the third Open Call. This final round will provide up to 12,500 Euro grants to tech providers reaching a total of around 100 grants. We look forward to receiving your application no later than 31 October 2024 at 17:00 CET.

Over 60 grants available for the winning Piloting Teams

This final CommuniCity Open Call seeks novel solutions for 54 city-specific challenges with a budget of almost 820,000 Euros. In other words, we have grants available for over 60 piloting teams. Similar to the previous open call rounds, also the third ComuniCity Open Call addresses social, economic, and urban challenges, with a particular emphasis on improving digital inclusion and sustainability for marginalised communities within European cities.

Building on the success of previous rounds, this final phase of the CommuniCity Open Call for Applications expands its reach to 21 cities. In addition to the project partner cities of Helsinki, Porto, and Amsterdam, so-called replicator cities have defined their unique challenges aiming to tackle the specific needs of their communities. These replicator cities are Aarhus, Bruges, Brussels, Cuneo, London, Manchester, Matosinhos, Milazzo, Plock, Prague, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Sarajevo, The Hague, and Utrecht.

Tech providers can submit their applications to any of the challenges presented by these cities. Also, the tech teams awarded during the previous rounds of CommuniCity open calls can apply for grants.

Support available for the tech providers

To pave the way for strong applications by the tech providers and other potential applicants, the CommuniCity Consortium has established multiple support activities including:

Info Event held on the 19th October.
Matchmaking platform
Q&A tailored for the 3rd round.

After the application period ends on 31 October, the Expert Juries appointed by the challenge owner organisations and cities will evaluate the applications and select the technology solutions to be awarded. The pilots will start across Europe between November and December and will conclude by the end of May 2025.

We look forward to receiving your application and co-creating better cities together!

For more information on the challenges, application process, and open call documents, please visit communicity-project.eu . Do not forget to subscribe to the CommuniCity newsletter to stay up to date with the latest actvities and future events!

Apply Now

Challenges

Smart Communities Event Explores AI, Digital Transition, and Social Change in Timisoara

Mrs Danae Pantelide — Thu, 03 Oct 2024 14:07:54 +0000

Smart Communities Event Explores AI, Digital Transition, and Social Change in Timisoara Mrs Danae Pantelide 3 October 2024

The open event Smart Communities: AI, Digital Transition, and Social Change took place on September 24, 2024, in Timisoara, Romania, as part of the Open Living Lab Days annual gathering. Co-hosted by the EU-funded projects Living-in.EU and CommuniCity, the event brought together over 25 participants, including representatives from public authorities, academia, the private sector, living labs, and local citizens.

The event opened with a showcase of the two co-hosting projects, highlighting how different stakeholders can benefit from their initiatives and outcomes. Participants were also introduced to the open call manuals developed in CommuniCity and the piloting procedures designed to help stakeholders implement their own projects. The session further delved into technical frameworks, including the integration of minimum interoperability mechanisms (MIMs) to support a cohesive digital transition.

An interactive session followed, encouraging participants to identify key challenges that various stakeholders face on the path to digital transformation, with a particular focus on the needs of sensitive community members. Attendees also had the opportunity to contribute their perspectives to shape the priorities of ENoLL’s newly launched Digital Urban Systems and Solutions for Transition Urban Innovation (DUSST UI) Working Group.

The event concluded with a panel discussion on ethical considerations and citizen engagement in the digital transition. Panelists shared their experiences, sparking a dynamic conversation among attendees that reflected the importance of inclusivity and ethical responsibility in building smart communities.

The event underscored the collaborative potential across sectors and emphasised the role of innovation in creating smart, inclusive, and future-ready urban environments.

Urban Digital Twins for a Sustainable Transformation of Cities: Call for Contributions and Papers

Michelle Gonzalez Torres — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 12:32:18 +0000

Urban Digital Twins for a Sustainable Transformation of Cities: Call for Contributions and Papers

International Research Conference in Hamburg, Germany

Michelle Gonza… 1 October 2024

Urban Digital Twins for a Sustainable Transformation of Cities

International Research Conference in Hamburg, Germany

Conference Dates: 02 to 03 April 2025

Proposal Submission Deadline: 17 November 2024

In response to growing urban challenges—such as segregation, demographic changes, refugee migration, and climate-related extreme weather events—there is an increasing urgency to transform cities towards sustainability and resilience. Although the need for new approaches has been widely discussed for decades, changes in areas like urban mobility, circular economies, and adaptive governance have not yet been implemented at the required scale.

Urban digital twins, a relatively new tool, offer a promising approach to managing urban complexity. By leveraging spatial data, sensor networks, and digital tools, these digital replicas allow for modeling and simulation of urban processes. However, questions remain about whether they can support true transformation towards sustainability or merely provide incremental improvements.

This conference seeks to explore how urban digital twins can foster such transformative processes. Contributions are invited from both researchers and practitioners to address questions such as:

How can urban digital twins initiate and accelerate urban transformation?
What are the technical, institutional, and political challenges in their implementation?
How can they contribute to building capacity for sustainability among urban actors?
How can successful technologies and governance models be scaled and transferred to other cities?

Extended abstracts (1000-2000 words) are expected from participants, with the opportunity to present at the conference. Contributions should reflect on urban transformation in social, technical, or ecological dimensions and align with one or more of the following tracks:

Track A: Smart City Governance
Track B: Modeling, Simulation, and AI
Track C: Citizen Engagement
Track D: Transformative Research Methods for Actionable Knowledge

Practitioners are also encouraged to submit digital twin artifacts alongside a presentation discussing their potential for transformation.

Submit proposals by 17 November 2024

How to finance cities’ and regions digital transformation

Viviana Demonte — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 14:28:26 +0000

How to finance cities’ and regions digital transformation Viviana Demonte 25 September 2024

The journey toward digital transformation is a priority for local governments, aligned with broader European goals such as those set out in the NextGenerationEU recovery plan and its Recovery and Resilience Facility Plan (RRF). Yet, despite their shared commitment, these public authorities face significant challenges in financing their digital ambitions and navigating complex administrative landscapes.

Funding challenges for cities’ digital ambitions

As Arnis Gulbis, Director of Riga Digital Agency, underscores, “financing is a crucial component of our digital strategy, and we continuously seek new funding opportunities to expand and enhance our digital initiatives.”

“More specifically, we need funding for large-scale projects like smart transportation systems and digital healthcare infrastructure,” explains Gulbis. The city, keen to leverage technology for improved public services, has already allocated approximately €10 million towards digital transformation in the last year, but the need for further investment remains pressing.

Bridging the funding gaps

However, for many cities, the journey is far from straightforward. “There are still gaps in funding, especially for projects like digital twinning, IoT, data spaces and cybersecurity,” says Alma Serica, EU Policies and Projects Officer of the City of Arezzo.

For Arezzo, like many other cities, finding the necessary funding is not just about meeting current needs but also about bringing innovation. Very often, a significant portion of IT budgets is consumed by maintaining existing infrastructure, which leaves little room for introducing innovative solutions in cities.

Amersfoort is facing a similar challenge. “In Amersfoort, the largest part of the IT capacity is used mostly for maintaining infrastructure – software and hardware – with 85% going toward capacity and digital infrastructure,” notes Bauke Keulen, Strategic Advisor on Digitalisation in Amersfoort. “In many municipalities, the total IT-expenditures is only 3% of their total budget. Consequently, digital transformation should not be only seen as a cost-driven discussion but rather as more structural transformation,” he adds.

Reskilling the workforce

The Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated financial constraints, forcing cities to suspend several projects and look for alternative funding sources, including regional, national and EU funds. Yet, as several officials noted, accessing these funds can be challenging. Lengthy application processes, bureaucratic hurdles, and stringent co-funding requirements often pose barriers, particularly for smaller municipalities that lack the resources to navigate such complexities.

The shortage of skilled personnel is another critical issue that many cities face. Amersfoort has made substantial investments in training city officials, equipping them with the skills needed to navigate digital transformation.

Rather than creating new positions, Amersfoort has “trained 120 city officials on digital transformation pathways.” In Arezzo, Italy, the focus is on building digital capacity from within. The decision to “reskill existing staff over hiring new personnel” reflects both a practical response to financial constraints and a strategic investment in human capital.

Cutting the red tape

However, reskilling requires substantial funding and resources, which are not always readily available. In addition to financial and personnel challenges, cities must also grapple with the administrative burdens associated with EU funding programs. As Arnis Gulbis, Director of Riga Digital Agency, points out, “accessing funding often involves navigating complex application processes and stringent eligibility criteria, which can be a barrier, especially for smaller projects or those that require quick implementation.”

Despite these hurdles, there is a strong belief among city officials that streamlined processes and more accessible funding could make a significant difference. Direct EU funding to local and regional administrations can simplify the application process currently required to participate in European funding programmes, such as Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme.

However, even these programmes come with challenges, particularly the co-funding requirements that can be prohibitive for smaller municipalities. For many, a longer-term, more stable approach to funding is needed. In Amersfoort, for example, there is a focus on “the definition of long-term objectives and long-term financing,” ensuring that digital transformation efforts are not just immediate but sustainable over time.

Mix and match of funding sources

Co-funding and accessing multiple types of funding are also a priority for regional authorities. Charles Brunet, Information System Director at Grenoble-Alpes Metropole, highlights that they often need to combine different sources of national, regional and European funding, to realise their strategic objectives linked to digital transformation.

However, European funding is not always in line with their matureness, and regional and local priorities. European funding pushes towards very targeted topics requiring strong technical and technological maturity, whereas public authorities have in a first instance to consolidate information systems in order to ensure their strategic objectives before advancing towards innovative technologies on specific domains.

Digital Flanders also tries to pull together a variety of funding sources, exploring private-public partnerships and accessing national and regional funding. “In Digital Flanders we always look out for fundings that could allow us to innovate and bring new digital solutions that can benefit our citizens,” explains Martine Delannoy, from Digital Flanders, Flemish Digital Transformation Agency.

They search for funding to upscale solutions rather than develop pure innovations, also trying their best to developing solutions that could be continued in a sustainable way and be also re-used by smaller cities and governments in the region. This role of the region in providing support to smaller municipalities resonates across the regional members of Living-in.EU.

The Emilia-Romagna region also access various funding sources and partnerships, with a model which not only focuses on technology, but also gives priority to citizens, skills, and collaboration among different departments. In this context, Francesco Raphael Frieri, Director-General for Resources, Europe, Innovation and Institution and Chief Digital Officer in Emilia-Romagna, highlights the importance given to data.

Data is at the centre of the region’s political direction and holds the potential to improve services for all. For this reason, the region invests in testing data governance models, stimulating data sharing among sectors and running initiatives, such as supercomputing technology, cybersecurity projects and artificial intelligence for the societal good.

Looking ahead

In response to these challenges, city and regional officials suggest several improvements for EU funding programmes. There is a call for greater flexibility and tailored support that better reflect the diverse needs of different cities and regions. Programmes should mandate data openness and prioritise areas like transport and mobility, as cities call for targeted funding that supports both innovation and practical outcomes.

“To better meet our needs, EU funding programmes should consider streamlining application and reporting processes, increasing support for capacity building within local administrations and enhancing opportunities for cross-border collaborations,” says Arnis Gulbis, Director of Riga Digital Agency.

There is also a strong consensus on the need for more support for smaller municipalities, particularly in terms of funding, training, and fostering cooperation opportunities that could help bridge the resource gap. Simplifying the application, monitoring and reporting processes for EU funds is another recommendation that could reduce administrative burdens and speed up project implementation, making it easier for cities to access essential resources.

Looking ahead, regions like Emilia-Romagna and Digital Flanders highlight the importance of funding instruments that support not just innovation but also the upscaling of successful initiatives and the maintenance of core services. This approach would help public authorities implement sustainable and scalable solutions, ultimately improving citizen-oriented services.

Check out the article on Eurocities website here.

Addressing the needs of cities and regions in the digital transformation

Viviana Demonte — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 18:24:24 +0000

Addressing the needs of cities and regions in the digital transformation

Living-in.EU’s response to the mid-term review of the Digital Europe programme

Viviana Demonte 24 September 2024

A digital transformation that supports local and regional authorities, stimulates innovation, facilitates the exchange of solutions, builds capacity, and protects fundamental EU values—that is the vision of Living-in.EU and its more than 200 signatories as they call for action in the second term of the Digital Europe Programme (DEP).

Launched under the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the DEP embodies the European Commission’s ambition to secure European technological leadership. Its primary goal is to drive the digital transition in the EU by promoting the adoption of digital technologies by public administrations, businesses, and citizens while enhancing digital skills in the workforce.

At the time of its mid-term review, Living-in.EU signatories submitted their future needs, challenges, and proposed improvements for the upcoming DEP work programmes through the European Commission’s open consultation.

An opportunity for Living-in.EU member cities and regions to express their views on the DEP

During a webinar for signatories on 11 September 2024, Living-in.EU member cities and regions shared their challenges, needs, and suggestions for improving the programme. While participants agreed on the relevance of its strategic objectives and the expected benefits, they were eager to address several significant shortcomings.

One key issue is the digital divide, with only 56% of the population possessing basic digital skills. Although local and regional administrations are investing in digitising their services, only half of EU citizens currently have the skills needed to access these services. DEP’s future work programmes should offer stronger financial support to local and regional authorities for initiatives in digital skills mentoring, training, skills development, and awareness-raising. There should be a particular focus on foundational digital skills, such as media literacy and AI-awareness.

Another concern is DEP’s funding rate, which poses a barrier to participation in its calls. Currently, the DEP requires both the public and private sectors to co-fund actions at a 50% rate, a condition that is often unfeasible for the public sector due to budget constraints. Living-in.EU members stressed the importance of identifying co-funding sources for public bodies, such as the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDICs), initiatives promoted by the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), or other national funds.

Living-in.EU signatories also emphasized the need for a stronger focus on the ecological impact of digital infrastructure. DEP is expected to have a significant impact on sustainability, resilience, and energy efficiency. As such, upcoming DEP work programmes should further strengthen the link between green, digital, and social objectives, including tools to measure and reduce the ecological impact of technology.

A pivotal role for Living-in.EU in shaping the digital future

Given the challenges ahead and the crucial role of local and regional authorities in the digital economy, Living-in.EU serves as a key reference point for smart cities and communities. The initiative supports the development of tools like LORDIMAS, the Local and Regional Digital Maturity Assessment tool, and facilitates knowledge exchange and capacity-building. DEP should reinforce its support for such initiatives, as their activities provide essential backing for a digital transformation that benefits everyone.

The full Living-in.EU response to the DEP’s open consultation is accessible here

Living in EU feed

Call for Cities and Solutions Providers: Survey on Conformance and Certification of Interoperable Smart City Solutions

How can Certification of Interoperable Smart City Solutions Enhance Communities' Digital Transformation?

How can Certification of Interoperable Smart City Solutions Enhance Communities' Digital Transformation?

BDTI: Big Data Test Infrastructure for european public administrations

Local leaders mobilise to put artificial intelligence at work for citizens through enhanced public services

EU regions and cities representatives gathered in Tampere to discuss how artificial intelligence can improve the quality of the public sector.

The new eLearning modules on the EIF4SCC and the MIMs are now available

Living-in.EU Digital Assembly 2024: “Think big, start small, and scale fast”:

European cities and regions leading the green and digital transformation

Living-in.EU, connecting cities for a greener and inclusive digital future

Digital inclusion, at the core of the transformation

Towards people-centred innovation

Sustained funding for all municipalities

Collaborative digital ecosystems are the way forward

Cities leading the way

The Third CommuniCity Open Call is out now!

Apply to receive up to 12,500 EUR to work on a tech-based pilot

Smart Communities Event Explores AI, Digital Transition, and Social Change in Timisoara

Urban Digital Twins for a Sustainable Transformation of Cities: Call for Contributions and Papers

International Research Conference in Hamburg, Germany

Urban Digital Twins for a Sustainable Transformation of Cities

International Research Conference in Hamburg, Germany

Read more here.

How to finance cities’ and regions digital transformation

Funding challenges for cities’ digital ambitions

Bridging the funding gaps

Reskilling the workforce

Cutting the red tape

Mix and match of funding sources

Looking ahead

Addressing the needs of cities and regions in the digital transformation

Living-in.EU’s response to the mid-term review of the Digital Europe programme