On 9 April, the Commission presented its AI Continent Action Plan (COM(2025)165) Communication. The AI Continent Action Plan aims to accelerate policy action that is needed to position the EU at the forefront of tech innovation, proposing the following actions: investing in large-scale AI computing infrastructures, improving access to data, accelerating AI adoption in strategic EU sectors, strengthening AI skills and talent, and fostering regulatory compliance and simplification.
This opinion would keep AI high on the CoR agenda, following up from the 2024 opinion from President Cirio on Challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in the public sector: defining the role of regional and local authorities. The opinion would highlight the potential of LRAs in the overall approach of the European Commission and prepare useful input for the public sector part of the Apply AI Strategy, which the European Commission/AI Office will present in Q3 2025 Q3.
The rapporteur, Alberto Cirio, chair of ECON Commission and President of the Piedmont Region said that: “I am delighted to be able to continue my work on artificial intelligence - on which Piedmont is at the forefront - as rapporteur for a new opinion that will bring together the views and requests of all the regions and cities of Europe. The use of artificial intelligence is now part of our daily lives and its potential for public administration is enormous. In Piemonte we’re working hard, for example, to exploit the potential of AI systems to tackle the challenge of monitoring and reducing road transport pollution, through an innovative way of operating traffic lights.
EU regions and cities must have their say on shaping the investment in Artificial Intelligence computing infrastructures, strengthening AI skills and talent. The forthcoming opinion will be important input for the public sector part of the Apply AI Strategy, which the European Commission will present later in the year.
The calendar for this opinion could be as follows:
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23 May 2025 ECON meeting: Appointment of a rapporteur
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19 June 2025 ECON meeting: Exchange of views
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25 September 2025 ECON meeting: Discussion and adoption
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10-11 December 2025 plenary: Discussion and adoption