The European Commission and the European Parliament published a document called "EU Actions for Smart Villages" in order to make opportunities for villages and rural communities more visible. One of these actions is the Pilot Project on Smart eco-social villages. The implementation of the Pilot Project on Smart eco-social villages (“Smart Villages”) has been granted by the European Commission (DG AGRI) to the consortium of Ecorys, Origin for Sustainability and R.E.D. in 2017 and it will be completed until April 2019.
The overall aim of the Pilot Project is fourfold:
1. To map the opportunities and challenges in rural areas;
2. To provide a definition of “Smart Villages”;
3. To describe in detail existing best practices: ten best practices will be identified and analysed;
4. To investigate how to become a “Smart Village”: six case studies will receive support in setting up an action plan, including roadmaps to kick-start the process of becoming a “Smart Village”.

On February 21 and 22 Smart Villages Pilot Project organizes an event to discuss role and importance of digital technologies for rural development. Representative of Interreg Erudite project presents our experience in the field of open innovation and digital innovation.

In the 2nd panel session – Role and importance of digital technologies our Slovenian coordinator Emilija Stojmenova Duh is on the 2nd panel – Role and importance of digital technologies:

Key Sébastien Côte, RURALITIC

Case study presentations: Josefina  González,  Mayor,  Los  Corrales  de  Buelna  (Red  de  Municipios  Rurales  Inteligentes y Sostenibles), (Spain). Gérard Peltre (R.E.D.), representing Bras-sur-Meuse (France).

Other panelists: Emilija  Stojmenova  Duh,  University  of  Ljubljana.
Nikos Chatzoudis, European Commission, DG AGRI.
Andrea Halmos, European Commission, DG CONNECT.