Newsletter December

EU-funded AI innovation powers a new era in cooperative smart city development

The inauguration of the CitiVerse European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC) in Valencia marks a significant advancement in cooperative smart city development, setting a global standard. This initiative will deploy AI solutions to improve urban planning and management across European cities. Key features include creating digital twins for cities and offering tools to model and manage urban challenges like traffic and extreme weather events. CitiVerse aims to incorporate about 100 cities into its network within two years, enhancing urban development through innovative technologies supported by an investment of over €80 million from the Digital Europe Programme.

You can read more about it here.

Digital infrastructure: Council approves conclusions on the Commission’s White Paper

Under the Hungarian presidency, the Council approved conclusions on the Commission’s White Paper, addressing the EU’s digital infrastructure needs. The conclusions reflect on the progress and challenges in digital infrastructure, emphasizing innovation, security, resilience, and investment to enhance the EU’s competitiveness and digital transformation. Key issues discussed include the integration of cloud computing and telecoms and the need for effective competition and regulatory considerations in transitioning from copper to fiber.

You can read more about it here and here.

Council adopts the directive upgrading company law for the digital era

The Council adopted a directive to enhance the use of digital tools in company law, facilitating cross-border business and reducing administrative burdens. The directive will improve the accessibility and transparency of company data across the EU, streamline cross-border operations, and promote public administration connectivity. It introduces digital tools like the multilingual digital template and the EU company certificate to simplify legal processes. The directive will be enforced 42 months post-publication, with member states given 30 months to implement the required provisions.

You can read more about it here.