With a world-class community of scientists and a strong research infrastructure, Europe has an important potential in leading technological advancements on Artificial Intelligence (AI). It is therefore essential that the best research teams in Europe join forces to tackle major scientific and technological challenges, hampering the deployment of AI-based solutions.

The call articulates in two actions:

1. Research and Innovation Action to mobilise the best researchers into networks of excellence centres that will reach a critical mass on key AI topics.
2. Coordination and Support Action to foster exchange between the selected projects, and other relevant initiatives. 

These actions are expected to create synergies with the industrial sector and foster an ecosystem of R&D resources, expertise and infrastructure (in areas such as HPC, robotics equipment, IoT infrastructure). 

The European Commission has just launched the pilot phase of the ethics guidelines for trustworthy AI, as the High-Level Expert Group on Artificial Intelligence released its policy recommendations.

As of today, organisations can test the assessment list for trustworthy artificial intelligence, developed by a group of 52 independent experts on behalf of the Commission, and see how robust it is in practice. Over 300 organisations have already expressed interest in doing so since the group released its Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI in April this year. An online survey has been created to gather feedback on the assessment list and will be open until 1 December 2019. Best practice examples for assessing the trustworthiness of AI can also be shared through the European AI Alliance.

As part of the next long-term EU budget - the Multiannual Financial Framework - the Commission has proposed the Digital Europe programme, the EU’s programme focused on building the strategic digital capacities of the EU and on facilitating the wide deployment of digital technologies, to be used by Europe's citizens and businesses. With a planned overall budget of €9.2 billion, it will shape and support the digital transformation of Europe’s society and economy.

The programme will boost investments in supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, and ensuring a wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society. Its goal is to improve Europe's competitiveness in the global digital economy and increase its technological autonomy. 

In the context of raising energy prices and growing attention to the environment, ensuring energy efficiency is more and more strategic for businesses and consumers, as well as for policy makers. For this reason, energy audits have a relevant role to play: they are an important tool for organizations to enhance their understanding of their current energy use and monitor it going forwards with the goal of reducing energy consumption.

To guide organizations through their energy audits, CEN has developed EN 16247-1 ‘Energy Audits’, with important contributions from influential energy experts including members of the Energy Institute, Institute of Chemical Engineers, and Energy Services and Technology Association, ESTA.