The European Commission has launched a call for proposals on GenAI for public administrations: On June 25, 2025, the Living-in.EU Financial Working Group and the European Commission's AI Office co-organised an info and matchmaking session to provide more information on the call and facilitate networking between interested organisations. The event brought together representatives from local and regional administrations, as well as other stakeholders from academia, civil society and the private sector.

The call for proposals - who it targets and what it covers

Ms. Ivana Zeppa and Ms. Elaine Zaunseder, policy officers at the AI Office, began with a presentation of the GenAI for public administrations call. Funded under the Digital Europe work programme 2025-2027, the grant for procurement will financially support three to four consortia aiming to procure, develop and apply European GenAI solutions in public administrations. As the level of govenment closest to citizens, local and regional authorities play a key role in the call, as they are invited to lead consortia and define the needs and use cases based on real-world public needs and challenges. The presentation included detailed information about the scope and requirements of the call, as well as practical tips for potential applicants.

Co-funding and synergy grants: what to watch out for

As the 50% co-funding rate for EU projects may be challenging for cities and regions when applying for calls, synergy grants emerge as a potential solution. Ms. Beata Bartosova, Programme Manager at DG CNECT, gave an overview of the possibilities to combine funding under the GenAI for public administrations call with other funding sources. The presentation also highlighted some key caveats for local and regional authorities to keep in mind when it comes to using e.g. ERDF or Horizon funds, and advised to closely coordinate co-funding with the European Commission and national authorities.

In addition to receiving detailed information on the call during the first part of the webinar, cities and regions were able to gain further clarity about practical aspects and voice their questions during the dedicated Q&A session.

Stakeholders connect for public sector innovation

During its matchmaking segment, the event provided a space for participants to pitch their ideas and solutions and to connect with like-minded potential applicants for the call, encouraging and facilitating the formation of consortia. 

Participants from local, regional and national authorities also had the opportunity to further discuss the complex topic of AI with researchers and companies in four dedicated breakout sessions, focusing on different GenAI use cases: efficiency of internal processes, legislation and compliance, supporting decision-making, and enhancing public services.

Next steps

The call is open until September 2, 2025. The selection of consortia is expected at the end of this year, with the grant agreements set to be signed at the beginning of 2026. You can find additional information about the call on its dedicated webpage, as well as in the detailed Q&A document. 

The AI Office of the European Commission has also provided a dedicated email address for further inquiries related to the Call: CNECT-AI-IN-PUBLIC-ADMINISTRATION@ec.europa.eu.

In case you have questions about the session or would like to learn more about the Financial Working Group of Living-in.EU, please do not hesitate to reach out to Ms. Ana D. Georgieva, Financial WG coordinator, at ana.georgieva@eurocities.eu.