A Scientific Hub

The Lisbon Council is a leader and active participant in more than a dozen large-scale, multi-nation research and innovation projects. It collaborates with some of Europe’s leading scientific centres to deliver cutting-edge research, energetic policy roundtables, carefully evidenced scientific advice and effective multi-nation collaboration. As of today, the association serves as lead coordinator on six projects – and is an active participant in 22 others. The projects are developed and delivered by a growing team of 30 scientists and project managers and co-financed by the European Union.

Lead Coordinator and Project Lead

Urbreath

Systemic Integration of Transformative Technical and Nature-based Solutions to Improve Climate Neutrality of European Cities and Regions and Tackle Climate Change

Urban greening and re-naturing for urban regeneration, resilience and climate neutrality. The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme. The 37-partner project will run four years and deliver four region-focused case studies built around pilots in leading cities of that region. The project will also deliver effective service models and tools for quantitative impact assessment of the pilots’ impact on climate neutrality, regeneration and adaptation planning. The project will conclude in December 2026.

The Lisbon Council (Belgium) serves as lead coordinator along with 36 partners:

Politecnico di Milano (Italy), Fraunhofer Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung ev (Germany), Tallinna Tehnikaülikool (Estonia), Erevnitiko Panepistimiako Institouto Systimaton Epikoinonion Kai Ypologiston (Greece), Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek n.v. (Belgium), Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (Spain), Kajaanin Ammattikorkeakoulu oy (Finland), Vlaamse Gewest (Belgium), Engineering-Ingegneria Informatica spa (Italy), Deda Next srl (Italy), Athens Technology Center Anonymi Viomichaniki Emporiki Kai Techniki Etaireia Efarmogon Ypsilis Technologias (Greece), virtualcitySYSTEMS GmbH (Germany), Urbasofia srl (Romania), Diadikasia Business Consulting Symvouloi Epicheiriseon ae (Greece), Latitudo 40 srl (Italy), Foreningen Bloxhub (Denmark), Telesto Technologies Pliroforikis Kai Epikoinonion epe  (Greece), Exus Software Monoprosopi Etairia Periorismensis Evthinis (Greece), Open and Agile Smart Cities (Belgium), Climate Alliance Klima Buendnis Alianz del Clima e.v.. (Germany), Fundacion para la Investigacion Del Clima (Spain), Traza Territorio s.l.l. (Spain), Basurama Association (Spain), Dark Matter Laboratories bv (Netherlands), Ayuntamiento de Madrid (Spain), Stad Leuven (Belgium), Tallinna Linn (Estonia), Municipiul Cluj-Napoca (Romania), Comune di Parma (Italy), Anaplasi Dimosion Choron Anonymi Etaireaia (Greece), Aarhus Kommune (Denmark), Sprava Informacnich Technologii Mesta Plzne, Prispevkova Organizace (Czechia), Kajaanin Kaupunki (Finland), University of Stuttgart (Germany), Municipia spa (Italy) and South Pole Carbon Asset Management ag (Switzerland). 

Visit: https://urbreath.eu/

OPENVERSE

Open and Co-Created Virtual Worlds for Europe

Supporting the emergence of open and human-centric virtual worlds. The project is co-financed by the European Union through the Horizon Europe programme. The 12-partner project will run three years and deliver subject-based studies on topics as diverse as taxonomy, marketplace, technological foresight, governance and environmental impact. It will also produce a handbook of co-creation methodologies, a policy roadmap and three policy briefs. The projects are collaborative and will be developed through regular peer review and a series of seminars to be held in the run up to the release of the European Commission’s European Virtual Worlds Technical and Infrastructure Framework and Strategic Agenda, due to be published in October 2026.

In addition to The Lisbon Council (Belgium), which serves as lead coordinator, the 11 partners are:

IDC Italia srl (Italy), TRUST-IT Services srl (Italy), Commpla srl (Italy), Politecnico di Milano (Italy), University of Galway (Ireland), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium), XR4Europe (Belgium), International Data Spaces ev (Germany), Data AI and Robotics Dairo (Belgium), Martel gmbh (Switzerland) and Inspiring Futures Sàrl (Switzerland).

Visit: https://www.open-verse.eu/

BRIDGEGAP

Bridging the Gaps in Evidence, Regulation and Impact of Anticorruption Policies 

Co-financed by the European Union through the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, BridgeGap will study and develop new approaches for combatting corruption and other undue influences on political decision-making. The 15-partner project aims to achieve an overall and deeper understanding of corruption from an interdisciplinary perspective, to increase knowledge and data on political corruption (and other undue influences) and to support and further stimulate the potential usage of modern technologies to detect, prevent and fight corruption. BridgeGap treats corruption as a policy problem and focuses on understanding both the domestic vulnerabilities and the cross-border factors that undermine the control of corruption.

In addition to The Lisbon Council (Belgium), which serves as overall coordinator, the 14 partners are:

Luiss Libera Universita Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Guido Carli (Italy),  Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals, Fundacio Privada (Spain), Universita di Pisa (Italy), Universiteit Antwerpen (Belgium), Stiftelsen Institutet for Framtidsstudier (Sweden), Hebrew University of Jerusalem (Israel), Societatea Academica din Romania Asociatie (Romania), Universita degli Studi di Perugia (Italy), Groupe Kedge Business School (France), Universiteit Utrecht (Netherlands), Center for the Study of Democracy (Bulgaria), Transparency International ev (Germany), Limited Liability Company YouControl (Ukraine) and University of Glasgow (United Kingdom).

Visit: https://corruptiondata.eu/

Road-STEAMer

Developing a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Roadmap for Science Education in Horizon Europe

The project will develop a STEAM roadmap for science education in Horizon Europe. Co-financed by the Horizon Europe programme, the 14-partner consortium is built around a multi-disciplinary approach. The roadmap is intended to expand interest in and knowledge of science through innovative art-based educational approaches.

Besides The Lisbon Council (Belgium), which serves as lead coordinator, the 13 partners are:

Ellinogermaniki Agogi Scholi Panagea Savva AE (Greece), Association Europeenne des Expositions Scientifiques Techniques et Industrielles (Belgium), Centrum Nauki Kopernik (Poland), National Center Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (NC JASU) (Ukraine), Association Traces Theories et Reflexions sur l’Apprendre, La Communication e l’Education Scientifiques (France), Universita ta Malta (Malta), Politecnico di Milano (Italy), Ellinikh Enosh Dhmosiografon Episthmhs, Syggrafeon Episthmhs Kai Eikoinoniologon Ephisghmhs Astiki Etaireia (Greece), Zentrum Fur Soziale Innovation gmbh (Austria), Ingegneria Informatica spa (Italy), Panteio Panepistimio Koinonikon Kaipolitikon Epistimon (Greece), European School Heads Association (Netherlands) and University of Exeter (United Kingdom). 

Visit: https://www.road-steamer.eu/

EDIAQI

Evidence-Driven Indoor Air Quality Improvement 

The EDIAQI project will study indoor air pollution in European cities, using short-term, high-intensity measurements and long-term, large-scale monitoring. The 18-partner project aims to help policymakers and scientists to understand the sources, routes of exposure and health effects of indoor air pollution. The pilots and campaigns will measure air quality in a variety of different buildings, including schools, offices, entertainment spaces, gyms, social care centres, metro stations and residential buildings in Ferrara (Italy), Tallinn and Tartu (Estonia), Vilnius (Lithuania), Seville (Spain) and Zagreb (Croatia). Co-financed under the Horizon Europe framework programme, the project will run until November 2026.

Besides The Lisbon Council (Belgium), which serves as lead coordinator for the project, the 17 partners are:

Ascalia d.o.o. za Informaticke Usluge (Croatia), Wings ICT Solutions Technologies Pliroforikis kai Epikoinonion Anonymi Etaireia (Greece), Leibniz Institut für Troposphaerenforschung e.v. (Germany), Institut za Antropologiju (Croatia), Technische Universitaet Graz (Austria), Universita degli Studi del Molise (Italy), Universidad de Sevilla (Spain), Srebrnjak Children’s Hospital (Croatia), Deda Next srl (Italy), Tallinna Tehnikaülikool (Estonia), Lab Service Analytica srl (Italy), Nacionalni Institut za Biologijo National Institute of Biology (Slovenia), Valstybinis Moksliniu Tyrimu Institutas Fiziniu IR Technologijos Mokslu Centras (Lithuania), Region Hovedstaden (Denmark), Know-Center gmbh Research Center for Data-Driven Business and Big Data Analytics (Austria), Institut za Medicinska Istrazivanja i Medicinu Rada (Croatia) and Thinnect ou (Estonia).

Visit: https://ediaqi.eu/

Govtech4all

An Incubator for Digital-Government Technologies

Co-financed through the Digital Europe Programme, Govtech4all is an incubator for digital-government technologies. The project is built around three two-year pilots and will support the European Union’s Interoperable Europe Act. The initiatives are mostly public-private collaborations with startups invited to submit project proposals alongside existing governments. A second round of pilots will launch in 2025.

Besides The Lisbon Council (Belgium), which serves as lead coordinator, the 19 project partners are:

Technical University of Denmark (Denmark), Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications (Estonia), Direction interministérielle du numérique (DINUM) (France), GovMind GmbH (Germany), Dataport (Germany), National Infrastructures for Research and Technology (GRNET) (Greece), Department for Digital Transformation in the Presidency of the Council of Ministers (Italy), Digital Accelerator of Latvia [DaoL] (Latvia), Innovation Agency (Lithuania), ICTU Foundation (Digicampus) (The Netherlands), Beta-I (Portugal), Gobe (Spain), Lantik -Government of Biscay (Spain), Municipality of Madrid (Spain), Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation (Spain), Agency for Technological Modernisation of Galicia (AMTEGA) (Spain), Bron Innovation, Govtech Sweden (Sweden), Ministry of Digital Transformation (Ukraine) and Ukrainian Startup Fund (Ukraine).

Visit: https://joinup.ec.europa.eu/

Horizon and Other Scientific Projects in which The Lisbon Council Participates 

The Lisbon Council participates in more than 20 cross-border research and innovation projects, working as a trusted partner and scientific hub for key European studies and community-focused projects. The Lisbon Council’s role ranges from deeply scientific – working to analyse impact and devise implementation-ready roadmaps and policy proscriptions – to pedagogical and promotional. In every instance, the Lisbon Council promotes the values of scientific integrity and respect for citizens and stakeholders – and the profound results that bringing these two pillars of European policymaking together can deliver.

Cedar

Common European Data Spaces and Robust AI for Transparent Public Governance

The project brings together a 29-organisation consortium to develop methods, tools, guidelines for automated digitalisation of data sources existing in public administrations in the framework of the fight against corruption and fraudulent activities with a view to align with the EU strategic priorities on digitalisation, economy and democracy. The Lisbon Council is responsible for policy analysis and impact. The project is due to end in 2027.

RURBANIVE

Rural-Urban Synergies Emerged in an Immersive Innovation Ecosystem

The project brings together 17 organisations to improve the future of rural communities through territorial governance, social innovation and rural-urban synergies. The Lisbon Council will develop policy tools as part of the project, which is due to run through 2027.

EXPEDITE

Enabling Positive Energy Districts through a Planning and Management Digital Twin

The project brings together 19 leading scientific organisations to develop digital twins of energy districts allowing for real-time monitoring, visualisation and management of district-level energy flows and climate neutrality. The Lisbon Council is responsible for deployment of the model and evaluation. The project ends in 2027. 

ACROSS

Towards User Journeys for the Delivery of Cross-Border Services Ensuring Data Sovereignty

This 11-partner initiative will build a toolbox for public administration managers and policymakers to understand and implement digital public cross-border services in the European Union. The Lisbon Council will lead on evaluation and impact assessment and play a role in dissemination and communication. The project is due to end at the end of 2024.

LETHE

A Personalized Prediction and Intervention Model for Early Detection and Reduction of Risk Factors Causing Dementia Based on Artificial Intelligence and distributed Machine Learning

The project will develop personalised early-risk prediction, prevention and possible intervention based on artificial intelligence and big data technologies to prevent cognitive decline in an ageing population. The outcome will be based on a multi-domain interventional life-style approach built around a person-centred digital solution The Lisbon Council will lead assessment and evaluation of the pilots and take a role dissemination and communication. The project is due to end in 2025. 

Data4Food2030

Pathways towards a Fair, Inclusive and Innovative Data Economy for Sustainable Food Systems

The 24-partner project is designed to improve the data economy for food systems by mapping its development, performance and impact to create new insights and opportunities. The Lisbon Council will deliver impact assessment, key strategic option and analysis of the state of play. The project ends in 2026.

USAGE

Urban Data Spaces for Green Deal

This 13-partner project was set up to building a common data space at urban level to provide more accessible and exploitable environmental observation data in support of European Green Deal priority actions. The Lisbon Council leads on activities designed to increase uptake and motivate stakeholders to use actionable knowledge for the policy process, including new business models and revenue participation agreements. The project ends in 2025.

Tango

Digital Technologies Acting as a Gatekeeper to Information and Data Flows 

This 41-member consortium was created to develop technologies and solutions for compliance, privacy preservation and responsible data operations The project is due to end in 2025.

LibrarIN

Value Co-Creation and Social Innovation for a new Generation of European Libraries

This 10-member consortium is creating new ways of participatory management and sustainable financing of libraries and other cultural institutions The Lisbon Council has led several co-creation and co-design sessions with stakeholders and leads the case-definition, validation and impact-assessment workstreams. It also plays a role in dissemination and communication as well as the plan to make the project’s conclusions sustainable. The project ends in 2025.

WATSON

A Holistic Framework with Anticounterfeit and Intelligence-based Technologies that Will Assist Food Chain Stakeholders in Rapidly Identifying and Preventing the Spread of Fraudulent Practices

This 45-member consortium was conceived to build effective systems for guaranteeing authenticity and traceability in the food system. The Lisbon Council is responsible for community engagement and stakeholder training. The project is due to end in 2027. 

GLACIATION

Green Responsible Privacy Preserving Data Operations

This 15-partner project is working together to develop digital technologies and standards to support green and privacy-preserving data operations across the edge-to-cloud architecture. The Lisbon Council is responsible for dissemination, communication and the effort to develop and propose sustainable business models and use cases. The project will end in 2025.

Fermi

Fake News Risk Mitigator

This 17-member consortium is developing new tools and methods of collaborating to detect and fight disinformation and fake news. The Lisbon Council leads the outreach, exploitation and the digital-trust workstreams. The project is due to complete in 2025.  

Tema

Trusted Extremely Precise Mapping and Prediction for Emergency Management 

This 20-member consortium is working to improve natural disaster management using digital technologies and extreme data analytics. The Lisbon Council leads on regulatory/technology monitoring, ethics and social impact and communication. The project concludes in 2026.

Eddie

European Distributed Data Infrastructure for Energy

The project develops tools to allow the free flow of energy consumption data between consumers, energy operators and third parties, such as energy analytics startups. The Lisbon Council is building a community of scientists and innovators to foster a single market for energy data and will produce two policy briefs. The project ends in 2025.

Alliance

A Holistic Framework in the Quality Labelled Food Supply Chain Systems' Management towards Enhanced Data Integrity and Veracity, Interoperability, Transparency and Traceability

This 26-member consortium is developing innovative solutions to prevent adulteration of food bearing quality labels with a focus on organic food and geographical indications. The Lisbon Council leads on dissemination, communication and development. The project will conclude in 2025.  

Futural

Empowering the Future through Innovative Smart Solutions for Rural Areas 

The 21 consortium partners are developing smart solutions to address pressing social and environmental challenges. Project members will prototype, test, pilot and demonstrate community-led social, technological and business innovations in six rural pilot area representing different geographical and socio-cultural contexts. The Lisbon Council is responsible for developing the citizen-engagement platform. The project concludes in 2027.

Govtech

GovTech Connect

GovTech Connect is a two-year, cross-border initiative for the European Commission to mobilise the GovTech innovation ecosystem. As part of these activities, GovTech Connect will see the launch of four European boot camps to prepare GovTech start-ups for collaboration with the public sector. The Lisbon Council is in charge of the foresight and policy analysis. The activities are carried out by a consortium led by Intellera Consulting with PUBLIC, the Lisbon Council and Politecnico di Milano.

COCyber

Coordination between the Cybersecurity Civilian and Defence Spheres 

Partners facilitate the two-way exchange of know-how, best practices, and information, as well as coordination and collaboration between the cybersecurity, civilian and defence spheres The Lisbon Council is responsible for the development and the COcyber Platform and participates in the development of the Cybersecurity Observatory. The project ends 2026. Download the project resumé

Embrace

Pan-European Management of Biological Toxin Incidents through Standardisation Initiatives for Crisis Response Enhancement 

The 18 partners will work to improve Europe’s capability and capacity to respond decisively to a biotoxin incident through a standardisation and valorisation programme ensuring intersectoral and cross-border interoperability of technological, as well as collaborative mechanisms that enhance timely decision making. The project ends in 2027.