ENISA issues guidance on NIS2 Directive
The EU NiS2 Directive on network security came into force in October 2024. The directive aims to bolster cybersecurity in Europe, especially the resilience of critical sectors and infrastructure throughout the European Union. As the Directive comes into force, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) has published non-binding guidance to help organisations implement the NIS2 directive.
White House makes AI a national security issue
The Biden Administration has issued the first ever National Security Memorandum (NSM) on AI, a technology that it described as "era-defining". The administration believes that US security is in danger of being undermined by the growth of AI and that the US must maintain its lead in its development.
East Asia: IoT Public Policy Index
The Government of Malaysia has announced a new industrial strategy, including the aim of building 3,000 new smart factories. The Japanese Prefecture of Aichi, which has nominated seven cities to act as Smart City pilot sites, has nominated the City of Nisshin to be a pilot for Smart Disaster Planning. The Government of Mongolia will adopt smart technologies, especially in capital Ulan Bator, as part of an update to its New Revitalisation Policy. Singapore has updated its 2014 city-state Smart strategy.
Middle East/Africa: IoT Public Policy Index
The Egyptian Government has launched a new National Smart City strategy and will establish fourteen new smart cities. Senegal will deploy an intelligent transportation system in the country's capital, Dakar, and contracted with Chinese firm Huawei to deliver the ITS. The financial district of Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh is looking to implement renewable energy, smart grids, and incident management. Egypt's Minister of Housing and Urban Communities, Sherif El-Sherbiny, with China's Minister of Housing Ni Hong on smart city development.
Americas: IoT Public Policy Index
The NIST-managed Internet of Things (IoT) Advisory Board have completed their report on barriers to US IoT adoption. The Maryland Energy Administration has opened a funding round for its state-wide Maryland Smart Energy Communities Programmes. The City of Curitiba in Brazil has initiated the first Smart Neighbourhood in the country with assistance from the French Development Agency (AFD). The city of Barra do Garças in Brazil's Matto Grosso region has added facial recognition to new smart traffic lights it is adding to the city's roads to increase public safety and support urban policing. The US Department of Transportation has awarded Massachusetts $472 Million in federal funding for Boston's North Station Draw One Bridge Replacement programme. Virginia has begun construction of a new rail bridge into Washington, DC.
Europe: IoT Public Policy Index
The UK Government has established a Regulatory Innovation Office to accelerate adoption of smart technologies. The UK’s AI Safety Institute has announced a grant programme aimed at researching the societal risks posed by AI. The City of Fulda in Hesse, Germany, is deploying smart light poles to provide activity-based smart lighting, traffic light control, and parking occupancy sensors. The Spanish city of Dénia has adopted a smart city master plan to make Dénia more sustainable and improve smart tourism. The City of Helsingborg in Sweden has won a place in the EU’s Pilot Cities programme. The city will receive SEK 6.6 million in support for sustainable urban development, with Oceanhamnen as its focus.
South Korea and its Smart K-Cities
South Korea has one of the longest running national smart city programmes in the world. Its programme dates back to 2003, when the first national pilot city projects were initiated. The programme now incorporates all the largest cities in Korea.
EU extends NIS Directive to IoT, Infrastructure
The European Union has updated its Network and Information Systems (EU NIS) Directive, strengthening cybersecurity requirements and extending them into new critical infrastructure sectors such as energy, health, transport and digital infrastructure.
US programmes to decarbonise Supply Chains
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) and the White House are pursuing a national supply chain decarbonisation strategy that includes funding, policy measures, and technological innovation. 2024 has seen a growing range of measures to promote supply chain decarbonisation and promote cleaner environments in port cities.
The Revised EU Radio Equipment Directive
The European Union's updated Radio Equipment Directive (RED) is designed to enhance the cybersecurity of a wide array of internet-connected devices within the EU market. The rapid proliferation of internet-connected devices, fuelled by technologies such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC, have exposed significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities that were not adequately addressed in the original directive. This has prompted the EU to revise the RED to bolster cybersecurity and protect users from emerging threats.
US Executive Order on port cybersecurity
The US Executive Order on Ports directs $20 billion of investment to US port infrastructure, including the direction of funds to domestic crane manufacture and associated IT and IoT systems, and seeks to secure US port infrastructure from cyberattack.
Creating a European Chips Industry
The EU Chips Act aims to increase the continent's global market share in chips from 10% to 20% by 2030, achieve leadership in next-generation chips at 2 nanometres and below, and earmarks €11 billion investment in research and development.
