ERNACT led ENAIBLER project, together with a large delegation from the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (BFC) region, completed a strategic visit to Brussels (Belgium) from 13 to 15 October 2025 to reinforce European cooperation on Artificial Intelligence (AI) for public services and territorial development. This event engagement brought together more than 30 participants, including regional elected representatives, digital innovation organisations, universities, research centres and digital public operators. They were joined by ENAIBLER partners from Ireland, Poland, Serbia and Sweden, reflecting the project’s strong collaborative dimension.
Organised by the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Region, the visit aimed to deepen dialogue with European institutions and networks on the responsible adoption of AI. It provided a concrete opportunity to better understand the implementation of the AI Act, explore European policy frameworks related to AI and digital transformation, and identify funding instruments that can support regional strategies.
During the visit, the delegation met with representatives of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), including the EU AI Office. Discussions focused on AI governance, the Apply AI strategy, the AI Act, and opportunities for regional involvement in European AI initiatives. A constructive exchange also took place with the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) regarding the role of regional authorities in AI deployment and the forthcoming CoR opinion on the European AI agenda.
Collaboration opportunities in research and innovation were explored through a working visit to FARI – AI for the Common Good, where participants discovered practical models for ethical AI applications in the public sector. The delegation also met with the Greater Copenhagen EU Office to learn from their pioneering initiatives in digital sovereignty, including open-source strategies and reduced dependence on proprietary cloud services. The final stage of the visit focused on discussions with key actors from the Living-in.eu movement, including Eurocities, Open & Agile Smart Cities (OASC) and the European Regions Research and Innovation Network (ERRIN), highlighting opportunities for long-term cooperation on digital transformation in territories.
A significant outcome of the visit was the official integration of ERNACT network member Nièvre Numérique, a partner in ENAIBLER project, into the Living-in.eu community. This membership strengthens European collaboration around digital transition and opens new opportunities for deploying responsible and interoperable data infrastructures within local public services.
This Brussels visit demonstrated the will of ENAIBLER partner regions to work together at European level to develop trustworthy AI policies and ensure that digital innovation benefits citizens, public authorities and local ecosystems. Building on this dynamic, ENAIBLER will continue to mobilise stakeholders across Europe to accelerate capacity-building on AI, support policy improvement and encourage interregional collaboration on ethical technological innovation.