CEF Funding Available to Build a Smart, Data-Driven Europe Using Context Broker

Data is the raw material of the Digital Single Market. Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) grant funding means that you can make the most of it!

The CEF Context Broker Building Block allows organisations to manage and share data in real-time. This allows the creation of smart irrigation systems, improved security in busy urban areas or supporting public health.

Data-driven  innovation  is  a  key  driver  of  growth  and  jobs  that  can  significantly  boost European  competitiveness  in  the  global  market.  For this reason, the European Commission is working to create a common data space  in  the  EU. A  seamless digital  area  with  the  scale  that  will  enable  the  development  of  new  products  and  services based on data.

This is why up to €5 million in CEF grant funding is available to support Public Open Data.

Apply for funding

What’s the CEF Context Broker

The CEF Context Broker is a standard-based API allowing users to collect, integrate and contextualise near real-time data. It is often used by cities to track real-time actions and to make real-time decisions.

The use of the Context Broker has helped projects across Europe reap the benefits of data-driven innovation. In a Connecting Europe Success Story, the Context Broker enables the use of IoT data to prevent hostile behaviour and noise pollution on a bustling street in Eindhoven. The project team is now planning to expand the solution throughout the city with more Context Broker connected sensor. Other CEF Context Broker Success Stories explore how:

• Context Broker empowers Dutch cyclists to choose healthier routes
• Context Broker helps the Spanish Badajoz province become a “smart province”
• How the Andalusia Smart Region uses Context Broker for intelligent irrigation
• How air pollution is mitigated and reduced with Context Broker in Barcelona  

The Public Open Data call for proposals

The Public Open Data call for proposals will fund the  generation  of  cross-border  and/or  cross-domain services  re-using information  made  discoverable/available through  the  European  Data Portal (which harvests the metadata of Public Sector Information available on public data portals across European countries),  in combination with other sources of information.

In the case of actions addressing real time data, the use of the CEF Context Broker Building Block should be the privileged solution where appropriate; in which case the proposal should include one or both of these elements:

1. Deployment of a Context Broker solution, i.e. as an implementation of the NGSI-LD API technical specification;
2. Upgrade of Smart City, Internet of Things (IOT) or other domain solutions to support, and duly comply with the NGSI-LD API technical specification

How to apply for CEF funding

To receive co-funding under this call, actions must be ready for deployment, contribute to EU Digital Single Market policies and have a long-term sustainability strategy. The funding will be allocated to those eligible proposals that best meet the award criteria as specified in the 2019 CEF Telecom Work Programme and call texts in the areas relevant to this call.

The Innovation & Networks Executive Agency (INEA) held Virtual Info Day on the 2019-2 CEF Telecom call on 10 July 2019. The recording provides useful information on the goals of the call and the application process.

How to apply and next steps? Visit the Call Page on the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) site. The deadline for applications is 14 November 2019. 

Apply here