Chapter I, Article 16, Paragraph 3. · Regulation (EU) 2021/694

Contents

3.The Commission shall, by means of implementing acts, adopt decisions on the selection of entities forming the initial network. Those implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 31(2). The Commission shall take the utmost account of the opinion of each Member State before selecting a European Digital Innovation Hub in its territory.The entities shall be selected by the Commission from candidate entities designated by Member States on the basis of the criteria referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article and the following additional criteria:

(a)the budget available for the financing of the initial network; and

(b)the need for the initial network to ensure coverage of the needs of industry and areas of public interest and to ensure comprehensive and balanced geographical coverage to improve convergence between Member States benefiting from the Cohesion Fund for 2021 to 2027 established by a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council and the other Member States, for example to bridge the digital divide in geographical terms.