Call for Pilots Work Strand 1 - Connecting Existing Local Digital Twins

The Local Digital Twins for Smart Sustainable Cities (LDT4SSC) initiative is launching an open call to support pilot projects aimed at connecting existing Local Digital Twins (LDTs) across Europe. This announcement is part of Work Strand 1 (WS1), which focuses on creating a federated EU-wide network that facilitates seamless data exchange and interoperability among various stakeholders.

Eligible applicants include local and regional authorities, public administrations at all levels, European Digital Infrastructure Consortia notably the LDT CitiVERSE EDIC, businesses, technology developers, research institutions, academia, non-profit organizations, and civil society actors. Each consortium must consist of at least two local and regional authorities from different EU or EEA countries, and it is encouraged to involve at least one private sector partner to ensure scalability and replicability.

The European Union will provide a total funding pool of at least €5.1 million, intended for about 5 to 7 selected consortia. The funding is designed as a grant covering up to 50% of eligible project costs, with a maximum grant of €1 million per consortium and €500,000 for individual third-party participants. Applicants are required to demonstrate their capability to co-finance at least 50% of the total pilot costs from their own resources, confirming this through a Letter of Commitment.

The call is open for submissions from November 14, 2025, to January 15, 2026. The application submission is a single-stage process where complete application packages must be submitted via email. Pilot projects are expected to last between 12 to 18 months post-launch. After applications are received, there will be a two-month evaluation period, followed by a month for negotiations and another month for preparation before the official project start.

The initiative aims to enhance decision-making in key areas such as mobility, energy efficiency, and environmental policies by advancing interoperability among digital infrastructures. Projects should focus on leveraging existing LDT systems, integrating them into a cohesive network that allows for shared technical standards and open data practices.

Overall, the initiative represents an opportunity for diverse stakeholders to collaborate on practical applications of digital technologies aimed at building smarter, more sustainable communities across Europe.

The Local Digital Twins for Smart Sustainable Cities (LDT4SSC) initiative is launching an Open Call for Pilots focusing on Work Strand 1 (WS1), which aims to interconnect existing Local Digital Twins (LDTs) and create a federated EU-wide network supporting seamless data exchange and interoperability. The call is designed to engage European local and regional authorities, as well as a wide range of stakeholders, including public administrations at local, regional, and national levels, businesses, technology developers, suppliers, research institutions, academia, non-governmental organizations, non-profit organizations, and other civil society actors.

The opening date for the call is 14 November 2025, and the deadline for submission is 15 January 2026 at 23:59 (Brussels time). This is a single-stage submission model. The expected duration of participation for the awarded pilots is between 12 to 18 months from the starting date. The total funding available is €5,100,000.00. The project acronym is LDT4SSC, and the full name of the EU-funded project is Local Digital Twins for Smart and Sustainable Communities. The grant agreement number is 101226211. The topic is DIGITAL-2024-CLOUD-DATA-AI-07-DIGITALTWIN Towards networked Local Digital Twins in the EU.

The EU contribution for WS1 amounts to at least €5.1 million, to be allocated across approximately 5 to 7 selected consortia. The full application package, written in English, must be submitted via applications@ldt4ssc.eu before the specified deadline. The application must be filled in using the predefined templates provided on the LDT4SSC project’s website (https://ldt4ssc.eu/opencalls/). All documents must be uploaded in PDF format, except the financial form, which must remain in Excel format (.xlsx).

Templates for submission include: Application Form, Financial form, Letter of Commitment, Ethics and Data Protection Self-Assessment.

After the application deadline, the review of the pilot proposals will take two months. This period includes both the eligibility pre-screening and the evaluation conducted by the Evaluation Committee and the Ethical Board. Following the selection of the successful pilots, the negotiation phase will last one month, followed by an additional one-month preparation period prior to project launch. During the negotiation phase, applicants may receive recommendations or requests from the Evaluation Committee and the Ethical Board that could require adjustments to the pilot’s approach, processes, or consortium composition.

WS1 focuses on federation and interoperability, requiring pilots to prioritize cross-border data exchange and the creation of shared data spaces, demanding a baseline of digital maturity and collaboration among multiple public authorities.

To ensure the replicability and scalability of each pilot, every consortium is required to include at least one additional partner from the private sector, such as a service provider, private association with legal status, trusted third party, or a private representative of a use-case sector. Members of the LDT4SSC Consortium are not permitted to join pilot consortia. All partners must be based in eligible countries and be able to co-finance at least 50% of the project costs.

Each pilot consortium must comprise at least two local and regional authorities drawn from two different eligible countries. Eligible countries include EU Member States (including outermost regions and overseas territories), Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and listed EEA and DEP Associated countries. To ensure the replicability and scalability of the pilot, each consortium is encouraged to involve at least one additional partner from one of the following categories: private entity (e.g., service provider), private association with legal status, trusted third party, or private representative of a use-case sector.

Consortium members must not be controlled by an ineligible country. If there is a potential risk, entities may provide a guarantee. All entities except those validated as public bodies by EU countries must submit an Ownership Control Declaration (OCD). It must be self-declared at proposal submission and, if the pilot is awarded, the official OCD must be provided within 14 days of notification. If a consortium member is controlled by an ineligible country, participation will be conditional on submission and acceptance of an adequate guarantee.

WS1 is dedicated to connecting and federating LDTs across cities, communities, and regions to create a unified, interoperable, and reusable EU LDT ecosystem. WS1 will support communities in accessing a comprehensive set of technical open specifications and open-source software components to interconnect their LDTs through Data Spaces, with most solutions expected to align with the SIMPL framework where appropriate. These efforts are expected to draw on the European Data Space for Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities (DS4SSCC) as well as relevant thematic data spaces such as those for tourism, mobility, and other domains, with which data exchange is envisaged.

By leveraging standards, pilots will break down silos, scale up EU-wide datasets, and onboard less-advanced communities into the LDT network. The goal is to enhance decision-making (particularly in key EU policies like mobility, energy efficiency, or environmental), reduce redundancies, and foster a collaborative data economy, ultimately laying the foundation for a resilient, interconnected digital infrastructure that supports Europe’s green and digital ambitions. Through real-world use cases, such as cross-border traffic management or multi-city resource optimization, it is expected that WS1 will transform fragmented local initiatives into a cohesive, replicable, scalable, and reusable federation of LDTs, driving collective innovation and efficiency.

The co-funding model ensures that EU support covers up to 50% of eligible expenses, with applicants demonstrating the capacity to finance at least 50% of pilot costs from their own resources. The maximum grant per third-party (across multiple consortia and awarded pilot projects) is €500,000. Any expenses exceeding this amount must be fully covered by consortium members. The maximum cumulative grant per consortium is €1,000,000. Applicants must cover at least 50% of total pilot costs. Co-financing must be a dedicated, auditable cost, explicitly included in the pilot budget and documented according to normal accounting practices. Only direct monetary contributions or monetized resources listed in the budget are eligible; in-kind contributions not monetized in the budget are not admissible. All costs must be actual, incurred during the pilot period, and fully compliant with applicable regulations, including state aid rules and prevention of double funding. Participating local and regional administrations, as well as any other consortium members contributing financially, must demonstrate their capacity to provide at least 50% co-financing through a Letter of Commitment. The pilot consortium will receive 30% of the total grant as pre-financing upon signing the Grant Agreement, with the remaining 70% paid in two installments based on performance during the midterm and final reporting periods.

Applicants are invited to be part of the Stakeholder Forum to engage and network with like-minded organizations aiming to realize the objectives for LDT4SSC. This forum also offers opportunities to directly liaise with the LDT4SSC consortium members. Applicants are responsible for checking the LDT4SSC project website (https://ldt4ssc.eu/opencalls/) for updated information related to this Call, including the information about the schedule for Info Sessions. For any inquiries, contact info@ldt4ssc.eu.

In summary, this opportunity is a call for pilot projects under the LDT4SSC initiative, aimed at connecting and federating local digital twins across Europe. The goal is to create an interoperable and reusable ecosystem that supports data exchange and collaboration among cities and regions. The call is open to a wide range of stakeholders, including public administrations, businesses, research institutions, and civil society organizations. Successful applicants will receive funding to implement pilot projects that demonstrate the value of interconnected LDTs in areas such as mobility, energy efficiency, and environmental management. Consortia must include at least two local or regional authorities from different eligible countries and demonstrate the ability to co-finance at least 50% of the project costs. The projects should align with the SIMPL framework and contribute to the European Data Space for Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Eligible Applicant Types: The open call is designed to engage a diverse range of local and regional communities. Participation is open to public administrations at local, regional, and national levels, including European Digital Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs) such as the LDT CitiVERSE EDIC, businesses, technology developers, suppliers, research institutions, academia, as well as non-governmental organizations, non-profit organizations, and other civil society actors. To ensure the replicability and scalability of each pilot, every consortium is required to include at least one additional partner from the private sector, such as a service provider, private association with legal status, trusted third party, or a private representative of a use-case sector. Members of the LDT4SSC Consortium are not permitted to join pilot consortia.

Funding Type: Grant, specifically cascade funding. The EU contribution is distributed across selected consortia to support pilot projects.

Consortium Requirement: Consortium. Each pilot consortium must comprise at least two local and regional authorities drawn from two different eligible countries. The consortium is encouraged to involve at least one additional partner from the private sector, such as a service provider, private association with legal status, trusted third party, or private representative of a use-case sector.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility): Eligible countries include EU Member States (including outermost regions and overseas territories), Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and listed EEA and DEP Associated countries. Consortium members must not be controlled by an ineligible country.

Target Sector: The target sector is focused on Local Digital Twins (LDTs) for Smart and Sustainable Cities, encompassing areas such as ICT, digital infrastructure, urban development, data spaces, interoperability, and smart city technologies. Specific areas mentioned include mobility, energy efficiency, and environmental policies.

Mentioned Countries: EU Member States, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein. The text also refers to outermost regions and overseas territories of EU Member States, and listed EEA and DEP Associated countries.

Project Stage: Demonstration. The call is for pilot projects, indicating that the projects should be at the demonstration stage, implementing and validating existing Local Digital Twins (LDTs) and integrating them into a federated EU-wide network.

Funding Amount: The EU contribution for WS1 amounts to at least €5.1 million, to be distributed across approximately 5 to 7 selected consortia. The maximum grant per third-party (across multiple consortia and awarded pilot projects) is €500,000. The maximum cumulative grant per consortium is €1,000,000.

Application Type: Open call. There will be a single open call for Work Strand 1 (WS1).

Nature of Support: Money. Beneficiaries will receive financial support in the form of a grant. The pilot consortium will receive 30% of the total grant as pre-financing upon signing the Grant Agreement, with the remaining 70% paid in two installments based on performance during the midterm and final reporting periods.

Application Stages: The application process appears to be single-stage, with a single deadline for submissions. After the application deadline, the review of the pilot proposals will take two months. This period includes both the eligibility pre-screening and the evaluation conducted by the Evaluation Committee and the Ethical Board. Following the selection of the successful pilots, the negotiation phase will last one month, followed by an additional one-month preparation period prior to project launch.

Success Rates: The EU contribution for WS1 amounts to at least €5.1 million, to be allocated across approximately 5 to 7 selected consortia. This suggests that the success rate will be dependent on the number of applications received, but it will be in the range of 5 to 7 successful consortia. Without knowing the number of applications, it is not possible to determine a success rate.

Co-funding Requirement: Yes. Applicants must cover at least 50% of total pilot costs. The co-funding model ensures that EU support covers up to 50% of eligible expenses, with applicants demonstrating the capacity to finance at least 50% of pilot costs from their own resources. Participating local and regional administrations, as well as any other consortium members contributing financially, must demonstrate their capacity to provide at least 50% co-financing through a Letter of Commitment.

Summary:

The Local Digital Twins for Smart Sustainable Cities (LDT4SSC) initiative is launching an open call for pilot projects focused on connecting and federating existing Local Digital Twins (LDTs) across Europe. This initiative, under Work Strand 1 (WS1), aims to create a unified, interoperable, and reusable EU LDT ecosystem. The goal is to support communities in accessing technical specifications and open-source software to interconnect their LDTs through Data Spaces, aligning with the SIMPL framework and drawing on the European Data Space for Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities (DS4SSCC).

The call is open to a wide range of applicants, including public administrations at local, regional, and national levels, European Digital Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs), businesses, technology developers, suppliers, research institutions, academia, NGOs, non-profit organizations, and other civil society actors. Consortia must include at least two local and regional authorities from different eligible countries, which include EU Member States, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and listed EEA and DEP Associated countries. A private sector partner is also required to ensure replicability and scalability.

The EU is providing at least €5.1 million in funding, to be distributed among approximately 5 to 7 selected consortia. The EU funding will cover up to 50% of the eligible expenses, with the selected consortia required to co-finance at least 50% of the project costs from their own resources. The maximum cumulative grant per consortium is €1,000,000, and the maximum grant per third-party is €500,000.

The application process is a single-stage open call, with the deadline for submissions on January 15, 2026. The selected pilot projects are expected to run for 12 to 18 months. The call aims to transform fragmented local initiatives into a cohesive, replicable, scalable, and reusable federation of LDTs, driving collective innovation and efficiency in areas such as cross-border traffic management and multi-city resource optimization. Applicants are encouraged to participate in the Stakeholder Forum to network and engage with the LDT4SSC consortium members.