Projects, municipalities and companies participated in an online matchmaking workshop to learn about the open call and connect projects to support 5G innovative applications for public services.

On 12 January, the Commission launched a call for proposals to support 5G innovative applications for public services in towns across the EU. The call is open to telecom operators supported by public administrations. 

The call for proposals will be funded by the Connecting Europe Facility - CEF Digital programme. It will cover the deployment of 5G infrastructure elements required to implement innovative use-cases by public authorities and providers of services to the general public. These could mean high performance networks for a digital education ecosystem or for a health centre wishing to implement electronic health records, real time medical imaging and patient health monitoring.The programme aims to reach those communities where high-quality 5G services are not yet available. The projects are required to involve local public administrations and services of general interest as providers of the use cases.

The proposals under this call would stimulate further deployment and takeup of 5G use cases. The projects will act as best practices to encourage innovative 5G uses across the EU. The Commission will support the dissemination of experiences gained from these projects and concrete examples of 5G connectivity for the provision of services of general interest. 

To connect project promoters and companies, as well as to learn more about applying, the Commission organised an online matchmaking workshop. 

The recording of the workshop and the Commission presentation are available online. 

Potential applicants are encouraged to use the gathered information and seek out project partners to timely apply before the deadline - 22 March. On the same page, interested participants will be able to find more information about eligibility, applying, frequently asked questions and contacts for support. 

Find more: CEF Digital workshop - 5G for smart communities matchmaking: Recording & slides | Shaping Europe’s digital future (europa.eu)