In a short space of time, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated digitalisation and changed the perception of technology in our societies.

Citizens and politicians have seen first-hand the power of data and digital tools to address the important challenges thrown up by the pandemic.

However, not everyone has benefited equally, and new use cases have sparked debates about ethics, privacy and trust.

While European cities have had no choice but to be bold and innovate, the pandemic has also highlighted some of the fundamentals that still need to be addressed – from closing the digital divide and advancing data management to building trust with citizens and managing organisational change.

This report pulls together the key takeaways from a series of virtual roundtable meetings and interviews with digital leaders in European cities.