Collaboration & Policy – building secure & harmonized cities in Europe.

As European cities accelerate their digital transformation, cybersecurity and trust become cornerstones of resilience. Yet, local governments face fragmented approaches to regulation, compliance, and technology adoption. The European Union is now pushing for standardization and harmonization through major legislative frameworks — NIS2 (critical infrastructure protection), the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) (secure IoT and digital products), and the AI Act (governing AI in public services). At the same time, EU funding mechanisms such as Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme are enabling cross-border security projects and joint innovation. The panel explores how EU regulations and funding initiatives can transform city-level security from siloed, reactive measures into cohesive, interoperable, and future-proof frameworks. It will bring together policymakers, city leaders, and industry experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities in aligning local needs with EU-wide standards. Target audience : city mayors, CISOs, Stage: Tech X Cities