To further promote the implementation of the New Leipzig Charter, the Czech EU Council Presidency has decided to focus on this digital dimension, being it already a key priority of Czech urban development strategies. 

The high fragmentation of Czechia and its dispersed population distribution presents challenges in terms of infrastructures and public services, challenges that digital and innovative solutions could help to solve.

The Czech Ministry of Regional Development have therefore invested in building the railway of the future with several initiatives. These include but are not limited to:

- the Smart Cities Concept, a national strategy defining seven guiding principles for smart solutions and resilient cities; 
- the 5G for 5Cities project, supporting five selected cities to make use of 5G networks in implementing smart solutions; and 
- ‘Introducing a systematic approach to financing Smart Solutions’, a project in cooperation with VNG to support Smart City solutions for public service delivery at city, municipal and regional level. 

 Along with National efforts, the rich EU policy framework provides manifold possibilities for local governments to explore and implement smart solutions. The EU Mission on Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities is a good case in point, as it will support 100 cities in their transition path to become smart and energy neutral.

What remains problematic, however, is for municipalities to navigate such vast pool of opportunities, finding right access to EU funding schemes.

This issue is indeed what this Policy Lab will address, mapping on one hand existing possibilities at the EU level and, on the other, facilitating exchange of experiences between local governments. Considering the large amount of small and medium sized municipalities situated in Czechia, this Policy Lab will look especially at their role in localising the digital transition, discussing challenges and possibilities.