European Projects on ICT for Smart Cities

Call for proposals for European projects

On 3 February 2012 the Call for Proposal for European projects  CIP-ICT PSP-2012-6 was published in the framework of the ICT PSP Work Programme. The ICT PSP Work Programme and the current Call for Proposal for European projects CIP-ICT PSP-2012-6 aims at stimulating European projects for smart sustainable and inclusive growth by accelerating the wider uptake and best use of innovative digital technologies and content by citizens, governments and businesses. The ICT PSP Work Programme and the current Call for Proposal for European projects addresses obstacles hindering further and better use of ICT based products and services and barriers for the development of high growth businesses, notably SMEs, in this field.

The general objectives of the ICT PSP Work Programme 2012 and of this Call for Proposal for European projects  are:
- to develop European projects to accelerate the deployment of European wide services of public interest that are of direct benefit for all businesses and in particular for SMEs, improving and expanding their working environments
- to propose European projects to  develop the European market for innovative ICT based services and products which is essential for the growth and development of innovative SMEs that can benefit from wider markets for the diffusion of their innovations
- to fund the participation of European SMEs supplying innovative ICT based solutions in pilots and networking activities together with the main users of these solutions

The Call for Proposal for European projects CIP-ICT PSP-2012-6 focuses on 5 main themes:
- ICT for "smart" cities;
- Digital content, open data and creativity;
- ICT for health, ageing well and inclusion;
- Innovative government and public services;
- Trusted eServices and other actions.

For what concerns the ICT for “smart” cities theme, the current Call for Proposal for European projects  of the ICT PSP Work Programme includes the following priorities:
- European projects to stimulate the creation, provision and use of innovative digital services supporting energy-efficient, low-carbon activities in an urban context
- European projects to facilitate deploying cooperative systems which have reached technical maturity and are able to significantly improve both safety and energy efficiency of the European transport system
- European projects to facilitate the creation of efficient innovation ecosystems that develop European services and applications making use of information generated by users (e.g. through social networks) or captured from sensors (Internet of Things14), and to stimulating demand for innovative services and applications based on next generation access (NGA) networks

For what concerns the ICT for “smart” cities theme, the target groups for the results of this Call for Proposal for European projects  ICT PSP are:
- cities or regions located in different European Member States or associated countries

Eligible participants within this Call for Proposal for European projects  ICT PSP are consortia of:
- Legal entities (legal/natural persons) established in the Member States and associated countries.
- Legal entities established in EFTA countries which are members of the European Economic Area (EEA), in accession or candidate countries or countries of the Western Balkan, as well as other third countries.
- European Economic Interest groups established in a Member State or associated country.
- International organisations, on a case-by-case basis and provided that the minimum participation requirements for the respective instrument have been met. Such entities will not receive Union funding.

For what concerns the ICT for “smart” cities theme the consortia within this Call for Proposal for European projects CIP-ICT PSP-2012-6 must be comprised by a minimum of four independent legal entities from four different EU Member States or associated countries.

The eligible actions that can be funded within this Call for Proposal for European projects  ICT PSP are pilots aiming at the implementation of an ICT based innovative service addressing the needs of citizens, governments and businesses. They are expected to implement their solutions in several Member States or associated countries.

The total budget available for this Call for Proposal for European projects  ICT PSP, for what concerns the ICT for “smart” cities theme, amounts to 27 M Euro. EU funding cannot constitute more than of 50% of overall eligible project cost.

The deadline for submitting proposals in the framework of the current Call for Proposal for European projects  ICT PSP is 15 May 2012.

Further information on the current Call for Proposal for European projects  ICT PSP is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/ict_psp