Now it’s your turn!

Cooperation between different political levels to upscale digital solutions is crucial. It is the only way to boost digital transformation in EU cities and communities. The EU, member states, regions and cities are increasingly aligned in their bid for a sustainable and citizen-centred approach to guaranteeing smart and lively communities and cities. How can we harness the full potential of this convergence?

The Cities FORUM, 30-31 January 2020, hosted by the city of Porto, proved to be a promising start. It saw over 60 representatives from cities, regions, member states and the European Union, signing the ‘Declaration on joining forces to boost sustainable digital transformation in cities and communities in the EU’.

Eurocities, together with the European Commission, Committee of the Regions, Finnish Presidency and other city networks is driving the declaration. The declaration will tackle the barriers to upscaling while closing the digital divide, for which interoperable, open urban digital platforms that operate cross-sectorally and borderlessly are crucial. A system that will enable the ‘European way’ of digitally transforming cities.

The underpinning principles of the declaration are:

• a citizen-centric approach;
• a city-led approach at EU level;
• the city as a citizen-driven and open innovation ecosystem;
• ethical and socially responsible access, use, sharing and management of data;
• technologies as key enablers;
• interoperable digital platforms based on open standards and technical specifications, Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and shared data models.

Signatories and partners have two central concerns: how to ensure the interoperability of digital platforms and how to guarantee the necessary budget for innovation and digital programmes, having in mind the Digital Europe Programme.

So, how do we move forward, translating political will into concrete actions? The partners supporting this initiative are currently working on a first draft action plan to translate the declaration commitments into concrete actions for EU member states, regions and cities.

Join the community and sign the declaration here!

For further information on the ‘Join, Boost, Sustain’ initiative, visit https://www.living-in.eu/