At the CoR Bureau meeting in Nicosia, EPP-CoR members highlight the need for trusted data, democratic oversight and EU-scale platforms to avoid fragmentation.
Meeting in Nicosia for the European Committee of the Regions’ external Conference of Presidents and Bureau meeting, local and regional leaders debated how digital innovation and research—especially “digital twins”—can help Europe’s cities and regions anticipate risks, improve public services and strengthen resilience in the face of mounting environmental and societal pressures.
During the discussion, EPP-CoR members underlined that digital twins can turn high-quality data and research into practical tools for public authorities—supporting disaster prevention, smarter mobility, and better planning—provided that Europe addresses governance, interoperability and strategic autonomy.
Alberto Cirio: “The question is no longer whether AI will be part of daily life, but how it will be applied”
Alberto Cirio (IT/EPP), President of Piedmont region, stressed that AI is already transforming sectors from mobility to healthcare, and that public administrations—often holding vast amounts of citizens’ data—can use these technologies to save time and improve efficiency, including through digital twins to reduce vulnerabilities and support disaster prevention. He also warned that trust and sovereignty must underpin the uptake of these tools.
“AI’s advantages are significant, but they must be balanced with appropriate caution—especially in public administrations that hold large amounts of citizens’ data,” Cirio said, calling for European capabilities to prevent misuse and reduce dependency. “Europe needs its own tools and investment in centres of excellence to build real independence.”
Cirio noted that “fear” around digital twins persists in parts of the public sector—and argued that transparent governance and clear public value are essential to build confidence.
Thomas Schmidt: scale what works, avoid “digital fragmentation and chaos”
Thomas Schmidt, Member of the Saxon State Parliament, highlighted that digital twins developed in Saxony with partners in Germany should be scaled up, raising a strategic question for the EU: whether Europe needs a common platform to ensure interoperability across borders.
“The opportunities in this field are immense,” Schmidt said, warning that without coordination Europe risks fragmentation. He underlined that regions—and the Committee of the Regions—can play a key role in shaping common approaches that enable scaling and prevent duplication.
Emil Boc: data governance is essential—AI must support, not replace, democratic choices
Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, emphasised that digital twins are only as good as the data behind them: data must be complete, reliable and well governed. He also underlined that political leadership and democratic accountability remain irreplaceable.
“AI and data should not replace democratic decision-making,” Boc said. “They should support well-informed decisions and political choices.” He added that Europe’s strategic autonomy also depends on whether it can communicate European values using its own digital tools.