This section provides an overview of key information about interoperability for smart cities, which aim at capturing the most recent developments and trends in the field of digital public administration at the local and regional level.

In the past decade, Europe has witnessed a significant surge in smart city initiatives, reflecting a growing emphasis on leveraging data and innovative technologies to enhance decision-making and citizens' well-being. The establishment of data spaces and local digital twins has emerged as a particularly promising avenue in this pursuit. While the benefits of smart city projects are considerable, public administrations also grapple with various challenges in implementing and managing these transformative endeavors.

The Commission (DG DIGIT and DG CONNECT) published the Proposal for a European Interoperability Framework for Smart Cities and Communities. EIF4SCC aims to provide EU local administration leaders with definitions, principles, recommendations, practical use cases drawn from cities and communities from around Europe and beyond, and a common model to facilitate delivery of services to the public across domains, cities, regions and borders.

Related items:

EIF4SCC for Smart Cities & Communities

Under the leadership of DG DIGIT and DG CNECT and with the support of the Living-in.EU network, a study was conducted by Wavestone under the IOPEU Monitoring, previously known as NIFO, to identify and present the main organisational and cultural interoperability challenges arising when public administrations are establishing local and regional data spaces and local digital twins. To do so, an in-depth report on this topic was produced, complemented by a guidance document including practical steps and best practices for each type of stakeholder involved in smart city projects (citizens, public administrations, private sector, etc.).

In-depth report of organisational and cultural interoperability issues and practices in place within public administrations related to the four use cases

In the context of this study, IOPEU Monitoring, previously known as NIFO, analysed the interoperability challenges faced by cities and communities when creating and implementing data spaces and local digital twins, through four use cases:

• The city of Amsterdam;
• The city of Helsinki;
• The city of Valencia;
• The Flanders Region.

Following a literature review, the use cases analysis, and the collection of primary data, the report provides an overview of the EU legislative and policy framework supporting the emergence of data spaces and digital twin projects and the role of interoperability as a key enabler for the development of a data-driven society. The report then identifies a series of organisational and cultural interoperability challenges, including the insufficiency of common rules and processes, the need for a clearer governance framework, the lack of trust on data sharing and innovation culture, the deficit of awareness on the benefits of local digital twins and data spaces, and the scarcity of digital skills.

                        -> Click here to access the report

Guidance document on the roles, responsibilities, governance structures, processes and workflows relating to organisational and cultural interoperability

Based on the findings of the in-depth report and additional stakeholders’ consultations, the guidance document presents practical steps and best practices for each type of stakeholder involved in smart city projects: citizens and civil society organisations, public administrations, political leaders, private companies, and academia. These recommendations are divided into each phase of project management (inception, planning, implementation, and monitoring) and include both operational and general recommendations. In addition, toolboxes highlight relevant resources for the readers.

                        -> Click here to access the guidance document

Three use cases on smart city projects have been released under the leadership of DG DIGIT and DG CNECT. The aim of these use cases is to highlight a diverse range of projects, assess their interoperability level and their compliance with the European Interoperability Framework for Smart Cities and Communities (EIF4SCC). Here is a brief overview of the different use cases available:

• The city of Athens;
• The city of Ljubljana;
• The city of Lyon.

These projects are not only innovative but also transformative, paving the way for the digital transformation of smart cities. They represent good examples of how the EIF4SCC can support local actors to enhance the interoperability and effectiveness of their projects. They can also serve as inspiration for other smart cities and communities that aspire to put in place similar initiatives and ensure that interoperability is taken into account from the early stage. 

                     -> Click here to access to the use cases

Two eLearning modules have been launched on the Interoperable Europe platform: one on the European Interoperability Framework for Smart Cities and Communities (EIF4SCC) (Part 1 and Part 2) and another one on the Minimal Interoperability Mechanisms (MIMs) (Part 1 and Part 2). Both comprehensive modules are designed to be completed in less than 20 minutes and are divided into two parts:

1. Theory: This section provides a deep dive into the concepts, principles, elements, and recommendations that make up the EIF4SCC. It’s an opportunity to understand the theoretical underpinnings of the framework. It delves into the core objectives, capabilities, requirements, and mechanisms that make up the MIMs. The theoretical aspects of these mechanisms are elaborated in detail for comprehensive understanding.

2. Practical Application: This section presents a real-life scenario featuring ‘Martina’ and ‘Pablo’ to demonstrate respectively how to effectively use the EIF4SCC framework in real-world situations and how to deal with the MIMs in practice It’s a hands-on approach to learning that bridges the gap between theory and practice.

                     -> Click here to access to more information about the eLearning modules