Data is essential for decision-making and innovation in today’s world.
Cities across Central Europe are embracing Open Data (OD) and Internet of Things (IoT) networks to enhance governance and build smarter cities. The EnCLOD project – Enhancing Governance Capacities of Local Authorities Using Open Data, funded by the European Union under the Interreg Central Europe programme, focuses on improving local governance through the use of Open Data, IoT sensors, and the Digital Twin paradigm, providing large-scale real-time territorial insights.
The project involves five distinct territories — the Province of Vicenza (Italy) and the cities of Debrecen (Hungary), Olomouc (Czech Republic), Nova Gorica (Slovenia), and Žilina (Slovakia) — each at a different stage in their Open Data journey. Some have already made significant progress, while others are just beginning to explore its potential. To assess the current state, the project consortium developed a report analysing the implementation of Open Data across these five pilot territories, highlighting successes, challenges, and future prospects.
This report marks a first step toward strengthening governance through the promotion of Open Data and IoT sensor networks. EnCLOD reinforces multi-level governance, actively involves civil society, and fosters collaboration between the public and private sectors — driving innovation and supporting economic growth.
The Province of Vicenza (Italy)
Located in the Veneto region, the Province of Vicenza has a solid regulatory framework supporting Open Data, but its application remains uneven.
The area has a long-standing tradition of European projects that have promoted Open Data initiatives, particularly in the fields of mobility, environment, and tourism. However, the data landscape is still fragmented, featuring a mix of static datasets, sporadic IoT applications, and underused tools.
The Open Data Veneto portal offers a wide range of information, yet it struggles to effectively reach citizens and businesses that could benefit most. The Province of Vicenza has laid the groundwork for digital transformation and is now moving towards a more concrete use of Open Data through innovative digital services.
Within the EnCLOD project, the province will focus on improving road maintenance and safety, implementing a digital frost prediction service — a key step toward making infrastructure more resilient and efficient.
Debrecen (Hungary)
Hungary has adopted EU regulations on Open Data, but Debrecen has yet to fully implement them.
Despite hosting a major university and having a strong industrial base, the city has not yet launched any significant initiatives in this field. Unlike other European cities, Debrecen lacks a dedicated Open Data platform, does not regularly organise hackathons, and experiences low levels of public participation. So far, the city’s only step toward Open Data has been through Climathon, a global event focused on climate challenges.
However, this also presents an opportunity: Debrecen has the chance to build a solid and effective Open Data strategy from the ground up. With the right training and adequate support, the city could not only close the gap but also emerge as a leading example.
Within the EnCLOD project, Debrecen will use Open Data to optimise public transport planning, responding to the city’s rapid industrial growth and the projected population increase — up to 50,000 new residents. The goal is to ensure efficient and sustainable mobility services, adapting the transport system to the needs of an expanding urban area.
Olomouc (Czech Republic)
If there is one city leading innovation in Open Data, it is Olomouc.
Thanks to government support, a dedicated regional strategy, and an established Open Data portal, Olomouc has emerged as a model city within the EnCLOD project. The Digital and Information Agency ensures a structured approach, while Palacký University promotes the adoption of Open Data through research, hackathons, and innovation hubs.
The city has made urban planning, smart mobility, and sustainability the pillars of its development, demonstrating how, when managed effectively, Open Data can truly transform urban policy.
Yet, even Olomouc faces a key challenge: actively engaging citizens and businesses in the innovation process.
As part of the EnCLOD project, the city has developed a strategy for the open management of climate and traffic-related IoT data, and is moving towards the creation of a digital twin. Over the next two years, more than 500 sensors will cover the entire urban area, helping to bridge existing gaps and further establish Olomouc as a benchmark for European cities.
Nova Gorica (Slovenia)
Slovenia’s national strategy for Open Data is strong on paper, but Nova Gorica is still searching for its identity.
While the government provides clear guidelines and a well-structured regulatory framework, local-level implementation is progressing more slowly. The city’s Open Data initiatives remain fragmented and rely mostly on national platforms like data.gov.si, without yet fostering a true local innovation ecosystem.
The use of IoT data is almost non-existent, aside from a few niche projects, such as road speed monitoring.
However, Nova Gorica’s strong commitment to sustainable mobility and the green transition — especially through its Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, linked to its title as European Capital of Culture 2025 — offers a solid foundation for future progress.
With a stronger focus on dynamic, real-time Open Data, Nova Gorica has the potential to evolve from a quiet innovator into a key player in the Open Data movement.
Žilina (Slovakia)
Slovakia has a well-defined national policy on Open Data, but Žilina is still facing implementation challenges.
While some data on transport and the environment is accessible through the Smart Žilina portal, much of the information remains locked behind bureaucratic barriers. The city hosts various hackathons, but the data produced rarely finds application in everyday life.
Žilina’s approach to Open Data is still more reactive than proactive, but initiatives such as the collaboration with the University of Žilina (UNIZA) and the Urban Lab project (clevernet.sk) are paving the way for the use of open IoT data.
Through the EnCLOD project, Žilina is developing its first digital service in support of road safety, providing innovative tools to traffic safety preventists. Thanks to its ties with technical universities and European projects, the city has the potential to overcome existing barriers and build a genuine Open Data-based ecosystem.
Despite differences among the five territories, several common challenges emerge:
🔹 Fragmented governance – While some cities benefit from solid national policies, coordination at the local level remains weak. More structured governance at the regional and municipal levels could help maximise the benefits of Open Data.
🔹 Limited real-time data – Most available data is static, rarely updated, and not integrated with IoT systems. The Sentilo platform in Barcelona, with its network of over 15,000 sensors, showcases the potential of a more dynamic approach.
🔹 Low public engagement – Even where Open Data is available, citizens and businesses often don’t know how to make use of it. A shift in mindset is needed: from government-led data publication to community-driven Open Data ecosystems.
Looking Ahead: Building the Future of Open Data
IEnCLOD is not just mapping the present — it’s shaping the future.
Based on the analysis conducted, here’s what the project partners are preparing to implement in the near future:
🔹 Development of Action Plans – Each territory has outlined a comprehensive Open Data strategy, ensuring its alignment with the Green Deal and smart city models.
🔹 Promotion of cross-border collaboration – Territories will share tools, applications, and best practices, creating a knowledge-exchange ecosystem.
🔹 Strengthening IoT data integration – The project is exploring new ways to expand real-time Open Data collection through sensor networks and smart technologies.
🔹 Empowering local communities – Workshops, hackathons, and training activities will play a key role in bridging the knowledge gap between governments, businesses, and citizens.
Conclusion: A Data-Driven Tomorrow
The path toward Open Data maturity is not linear — it is shaped by both challenges and opportunities, but all cities are making progress.
Each is exploring new ways to leverage open data, building on its own strengths and finding the most effective approach to make information more accessible and impactful.
Through EnCLOD, these pilot territories are not just adopting Open Data — they are helping to define how it can support governance, drive innovation, and improve daily life across Central Europe.
👉 Discover the full analysis of Open Data in these five pilot territories by reading the full report “EnCLOD territories Open Data maturity level and gaps analysis” (D.1.2.1).