Presentation given by Iordana Eleftheriadou, European Commission, at Open & Agile Smart Cities' annual Connected Smart Cities & Communities Conference 2020 on 23 January in Brussels, Belgium

1. Digital Cities Challenge
100 Intelligent Cities
Challenge:
A strategy for cities in the 21st century
OASC Conference, 23 January 2020
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Dana Eleftheriadou
Head of Advanced Technologies Team
DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and
SMEs
European Commission

2. • 1. A European Green Deal
• 2. An economy that works for people
• 3. A Europe fit for the digital age

3. Great Urban Challenges

4. Reach-out:
41
Cities
Key Achievements:
ü Ambitious political leadership, vision and coherent strategies for 41
cities
ü Citizens in the centre for modern, sustainable city-ecosystems.
ü Technological sovereignty
ü Data and digitization of infrastructure
ü Upskilling the city - innovative education and training schemes.
ü Create vibrant markets for cutting edge technology solutions.
+1.5M
SMEs
Digital Cities Challenge:
A strategy for EU cities in the 21st Century
https://www.digitallytransformyourregion.eu/

5. Digital Cities Challenge

6. Digital Cities Challenge
ü Make public-sector data available and encourage
their use by companies to develop innovative services
and support their business operations
ü Use data to identify and close social gaps and divides
in local communities.
ü Pilot new technologies and city-relevant solutions; work
on common online platforms for sharing information,
resources, tools, piloting applications and creating joint
public sector databases.
Mayors Summit 4th December 2018
41 Mayors sign the Declaration of Cooperation on Digital Transformation and Smart Growth
Cities agreed to:
Experiment and utilize cutting-edge technologies and unlock the potential of big data

7. Digital Cities Challenge
ü Put citizens at the centre: Setting ambitious vision and creating modern, sustainable city-
ecosystems.
ü Open data and unleash their full potential.
ü Upskill and attract talents through innovative education and training schemes.
ü Create vibrant markets based on data analytics and procure cutting edge technology solutions.
High level conference 5th
June:
A Strategy for EU cities in
the 21st century
Over 400 key stakeholders from policy,
business and academia agreed to:

8. Open Data and
Internet of Things
Market opportunities
for cutting-edge
technological solutions
Upskill workforce and
attracting talents
Support implementation
and joint investments
Digital Cities Challenge
Ø Cities are keen in opening city data and encouraging all stakeholders to use and
share open data, while keeping control of their citizens’ digital rights.
Ø User-centric open data platforms is a big challenge.
Ø DCC helped connect cities to learn from each other and build up joint investments.
Ø With a reach out to 1.5 million SMEs, the DCC facilitated the creation of an EU
market for digital solutions across likeminded cities.
Ø Promoted joint public procurement for emerging technologies, e.g. digital
twins, artificial intelligence, etc.
Ø Innovative education and training schemes to prepare their citizens and their
industries for the future.
Ø Cities need a straightforward, coherent and simplified financial and investment
framework.
Ø The DCC facilitated concerted public and private investments in areas identified as
strategic by the cities.
Ø Advisory services on access to finance
Ø City partnerships to seek funding from EU financial instruments, such as the
URBACT initiative and the Connected Europe Facility (CEF).

9. 100 Intelligent Cities Challenge
International
Dimension
10-non EU cities
Reinforce and
expand the
existing network to
reach 100 cities
Expression of
interest:
February 2020

10. Digital Cities Challenge
The
European
Green
Deal
New
Industrial
Strategy
Strategic
Value
Chains
AI and
Data
Strategy
SMEs
Strategy
Social
Economy
Circular
Economy
Press ahead
implementation of
action plans, joint
investments and cross
border collaboration
Reinforce the cities
network through cutting
edge advisory services and
networking along the
thematic priorities
Foster new
opportunities for citizens
affected by the transition
shift to smarter, cleaner,
greener industry
Align the cities’
strategies with the new
relevant EU policies and
initiatives
100 Intelligent Cities Challenge
Priorities

11. Digital Cities Challenge
100 Intelligent Cities Challenge
Jobs
Growth
Investment &
Competitiveness
Establishment
of an ecosystem
of all city’s
stakeholders
Interregional
partnerships
collaborations &
investments
Reinforcement
and expansion of
the current
network
Advisory
support to the
cities
Review of
methodology
and tools
Design of
transformation
strategies based
on advanced
technologies
Performance
monitoring &
reporting
Objectives

12. DIGITAL
CitiesDigital Cities Challenge
Thank you!
23 January 2020
https://www.digitallytransformyourregion.eu
100 Intelligent Cities Challenge