The Living-in.EU Digital Assembly is the annual political event of the Living-in.EU movement, where mayors, regional leaders and stakeholders set strategic priorities for Europe’s digital and green transformation. The event will explore how local and regional authorities leverage data-driven urban policymaking and citizen engagement to shape human-centric and resilient cities and regions, while ensuring equitable access to the benefits of digitalisation and the protection of digital rights. Participants will address data governance, standards and participation models that empower communities, ensuring digital transformation aligns with environmental goals and digital rights across Europe.
- Digital and ICT | EU/ European | Governance and Public administration | Local and regional | Research and Innovation | Social inclusion and Equality
- Code: 15PD252142
- Van Maerlant, VMA23
Speakers
Moderator
Practical information
- When
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Wed 15/10/2025, 11:30 - 13:00 CET
- Where
- Van Maerlant, VMA23
- Type of partnership
- Partnership
- Format
- Political/policy debate
- Theme
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Cities building tomorrow
- Languages
- English, Spanish, French
Partners
European Network of Living Labs
Eurocities
European Commission - DG Connect
European Committee of the Regions
Document
invitation-for-networking-lunch
Reporting
Session summary
The 2025 Digital Assembly gathered local and regional leaders, innovation practitioners and EU representatives to discuss how Europe’s cities and regions can lead digital transformation that is both data-driven and people-centred. The session emphasised that Europe’s digital future must be bold, collaborative and inclusive, positioning local actors as key drivers of applied AI, data governance, and sustainable innovation.
Main Insights
AI and Local Leadership:
The European Commission stressed that cities and regions must move from risk avoidance to proactive AI adoption. Local authorities should help shape self-sustaining AI ecosystems linking public administration, business and academia, and contribute to a European marketplace for AI applications tailored to local needs.
Citizen Empowerment through Open Data:
Examples from Sofia and Kifissia demonstrated how open data and interoperable digital systems enable civic innovation, transparency, and improved service delivery. Cities should act as enablers by providing data, platforms and the right conditions for citizens to innovate.
Collaboration and Interoperability:
Technological solutions exist, but cities need to connect them meaningfully. Cooperation across governance levels, shared testbeds, and public-private partnerships built on trust and ethics are essential to scale innovation.
Emerging Priorities for Cities and Regions
Build an AI Ecosystem: Strengthen both the demand (cities, public needs) and supply (AI developers, research) sides to foster European leadership.
Open and Empower: Use open data to engage citizens, promote transparency, and support civic problem-solving.
Interoperability & Co-design: Connect siloed systems; co-create solutions involving business, academia, and communities.
Sustainability Beyond Projects: Develop business models and PPPs that extend impact beyond EU-funded pilots.
Ethics and Trust: Ensure technology remains human-centred, equitable and accountable.
Implications for the Living-in.EU Movement
Advocacy: Amplify city and regional voices in EU digital and green transition policies.
Collaboration: Link city administrations, living labs and private partners to share knowledge, tools and testbeds.
Capacity Building: Equip especially smaller authorities with data skills, governance frameworks and open platforms.
Scaling Solutions: Promote sustainable models for replication and deployment of proven solutions.
Ethical & Citizen Focus: Keep people at the centre—ensuring digital rights, inclusion and transparency.
Next Steps
Support cities in defining their AI/data needs and aligning local ecosystems for co-design.
Prepare for the next EU budget cycle by advocating for city-driven digitalisation priorities.
Share practical case studies and tested solutions across the Living-in.EU network.
Continue promoting ethical, trusted, and people-centred approaches to digital transformation.
Conclusion
The Digital Assembly underscored the pivotal role of local and regional actors in shaping Europe’s digital future. With citizens at the core, data opened responsibly, interoperable platforms, and partnerships across sectors, Europe can achieve digital transformation that truly serves people and place. The Living-in.EU Movement stands ready to sustain this mission through collaboration, advocacy and community empowerment, but it needs continuous support from the European Commission.
Quotes
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I would like to call on the European Commission to continue supporting and financing Living-in.EU and Lordimas. The network has built a lot in six years. There is ownership on the tools developed and practical solutions brought forward.
The power of Living-in.EU is to scale all these efforts across all cities. We need to try a lot more to help the others that don't have local expertise, that don't have universities in town, and to help them launch new technologies and help their cities.
Google won't wait for Europe to catch up. It won't wait for European cities. It won't wait for European industries to get our act together.
The EDIC supports cities to combine their forces cross-country as a pan-European force and combine living labs and sandboxes and experimentation grants as a validation instrument.
We promote digital inclusion and capacity building for our employees, because there's no point of building something if our employees cannot work on.
