Working Group Leaders
Representatives of Brussels-based offices leading the work of the Smart Cities Working Group.
Smart Cities
The objective of the Working Group is to act as a platform to offer early information on priorities and funding opportunities linked to Smart Cities, with a focus on the EU Mission on 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030. The WG aims to facilitate sharing of experiences and support matchmaking to develop new partnerships and projects. The WG targets the smart city topic from an integrated and holistic approach, addressing issues such as citizen engagement, data-driven policy and smart governance models, while exploring synergies between the areas linked to smart cities as addressed by the ERRIN WGs on Energy and Climate Change, Transport and ICT.
ERRIN Contact
Mission on 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030
The Smart Cities WG has taken an active role in shaping the Mission on 100 climate-neutral and smart cities by 2030 - one of the five mission areas under Horizon Europe - and is closely following the implementation of the mission. Visit our dedicated Cities Mission page to learn more about our work on this.
Previous Related ERRIN Working Group Meetings
Artificial Intelligence related strategies at local and regional level – ICT WG Meeting
In December 2023, the Council and the European Parliament reached a political agreement on the AI Act, setting out rules for the development and usage of AI in Europe. With AI's growing importance
Policy & Smart Specialisation WGs meeting: Widening in FP10 and impact on cohesion policy post-2027
The topic of widening gathers high attention in the discussions around the next European Framework Programme for R&I, raising questions with the potential to influence not only the Widening sub-
Policy WG meeting: Role of EU Missions in FP10
ERRIN has been closely involved in the design and implementation of the EU Missions since their inception. Missions remain one of the network's priorities and were one of the four main areas of focus
WG Related Events
Bridging the Gap between the EU's 2040 Climate Goals and the Shortage of Skilled Labour – Towards Climate Neutral and Smart Cities
As the EU sets ambitious climate targets for 2040 and aims for climate neutrality by 2050, the demand for a skilled workforce in Europe becomes increasingly urgent. At this event, we will explore the solutions U!REKA and its partner network can offer to support the EU in achieving its climate objectives while addressing skills shortages across the Union. The event will take place at Helsinki's EU Office in Brussels, 14 April 18:00-20:00.
The Role of Art in the NEB-inspired Urban Transition
The CrAFT project is hosting an event looking at the role of art as a powerful tool for engaging the public in conversations about advancing our cities. A panel of experts drawn from diverse backgrounds will explore how art and creativity can effectively convey the impact of innovation in physical spaces – platforms – that the city would manage. How should such a space look and function, and what are some examples of good practice?
DUT Conference 2024: Driving Urban Transitions through Joint Action
The Driving Urban Transitions (DUT), a European Partnership committed to supporting cities in their journey to become sustainable, resilient, and inclusive, is hosting its biennial policy conference, bringing together urban leaders, practitioners, researchers, investors, and visionaries at the forefront of sustainable urban transition. The event will be taking place in Brussels from 10-12 April.
Northern NEB Lights - The Power of Narratives
Before diving into the NEB Festival in Brussels, NEB-STAR and DESIRE invite you to the third event of the Northern NEB Lights series. We will meet in Brussels and online to promote dialogue and debate around the implementation of NEB values in the Nordic context.
Territories in ACTION
Following the launch of the ACTIONbook in January 2024, the JRC and CoR are organising an event to present the publication alongside insights from several territories on their innovative place-based transformations. As the ACTIONbook builds on the experiences from the PRI Pilot Action, next steps linked to this initiative will also be shared.
Festival of the New European Bauhaus
Organised by the European Commission in cooperation with the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, this year's New European Bauhaus festival invites everyone to embark on a 5-days journey of creativity and collaboration exchange on your visions with people from Brussels and across the globe. Join the Festival of the New European Bauhaus on 9-13 April.
WG Documents
Proposal for the Driving Urban Transitions Partnership
Attached is the approved concept for the Driving Urban Transitions Partnership.
ERRIN Input to the Driving Urban Transitions Partnership Consultation
ERRIN provided input to the public consultation to shape the European Partnership on Driving Urban Transitions.
ERRIN Contribution to the Mission on Climate Neutral and Smart Cities
Please find attached ERRIN's contribution to the Mission on Climate Neutral and Smart Cities.
ERRIN Draft Contribution to the Mission on Climate Neutral Cities
Please find attached ERRIN's first draft contribution to the Mission on Climate Neutral Cities.
Policy Recommendations - Regional R&I Ecosystems: Contributing to a competitive Europe
Going towards FP9, several reports - including the Lamy report - underlined the necessity to address the challenge of turning research knowledge into innovation and growth.
WG Related Content
ERRIN at the Cities Mission Conference and EURESFO 2024
This year, the Cities Mission Conference will take place in Valencia, Spain, on 25-26 June. ERRIN will participate in the conference as a partner in the NetZeroCities project, which manages the Cities Mission Platform. As the event is partly organised in collaboration with the European Urban Resilience Forum this year, ERRIN will also be there to promote its two Mission Adaptation projects: RESIST and Pathways2Resilience.
Join the Urban Agenda for the EU public consultation on the Greening Cities and Sustainable Tourism Partnerships
The Greening Cities Partnership and EU Sustainable Tourism Partnership of the Urban Agenda for the EU invites you to reply to the public consultations on the draft Action Plans. You will have the opportunity to help shape the future of urban green infrastructure by providing your insights and feedback on key Actions aimed at enhancing urban biodiversity, climate adaptation, and residents' wellbeing in EU and address key challenges faced in the framework of urban tourism today.
Cities Mission Enabling City Transformation call now open!
The Cities Mission Platform has opened a call for the Enabling City Transformation Programme. The Enabling City Transformation call invites Mission Cities to propose innovative actions to overcome systemic challenges faced when implementing climate action. This 18-month programme aims to foster large-scale, city-wide transformation, building upon and progressing beyond the Pilot Cities programme. The call is open until 14 October.
Cascade funding available to deploy data spaces for cities and communities
The EU-funded project Data Spaces for Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities opened a call in June 2024 to select pilot projects for the deployment of Data Spaces.
Call for Applications for IN SITU Summer School
Applications are now open to join IN SITU Summer School, “Place-based creative solutions for cultivating caring and sustainable communities" (20-24 September 2024), and the IN SITU Conference "Horizons of Sustainability: The power of creative innovation for transformation of rural and non-urban futures" (25-27 September 2024), both held in the beautiful island of Zlarin, Croatia.
ERRIN two-page input on FP10 for the attention of the Expert Group
As the work towards the next EU Framework Programme for R&I (FP10) continues, ERRIN is pleased to share its two-page input for the attention of the Expert Group on the interim evaluation of Horizon Europe. The document is a concise compilation of the reflections on FP10 done at ERRIN so far, highlighting topics of key importance. Work on a series of broader input papers is underway.
Latest Updates
- By Gaia Ialisa Marotta
Call for proposal for the 10th edition of the EU Design Days
The next edition of EU Design Days will take place on 10 June in Brussels! This year the topic will be “Will beauty actually save the world? How can design contribute to the green transition and help us to achieve the goals of the EU Green Deal?”
- By Gaia Ialisa Marotta
The City of Eindhoven is searching for a consortium for the call on Positive Clean Energy Districts - HORIZON-MISS-2021-CIT-02-04
Eindhoven is looking for a consortium in development to join as a demonstration area.
- By Gaia Ialisa Marotta
The City of Eindhoven is searching for a consortium for the Mission Call Urban Planning
Eindhoven is interested in joining a consortium. We have experience and expertise on Digital twinning and would like to develop this further in the context of this call
- By Hilary Webb
Become a partner of the 2022 EU Regions Week
The 20th edition of the European Week of Regions and Cities will take place from 10 - 13 October this year. To start preparations for the conference, applications for EU Regions Week partners are now open.
- By Ewa Chomicz
8th Cohesion Report: findings on regional innovation in Europe
The European Commission has published the 8th Cohesion Report: Cohesion in Europe towards 2050. According to the findings, while the Cohesion policy has, in general, helped to narrow territorial and social disparities between regions in the EU, the regional innovation divide in Europe has grown.
- By Hilary Webb
Celebrating ERRIN's Cities Mission work so far as 377 cities express interest
A week on from the deadline, it's confirmed that 377 cities submitted an Expression of Interest to the Horizon Europe Mission for climate-neutral and smart cities. Read about ERRIN and its projects' work on the Mission so far.