Summary Yes, as proposed in the Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), the new Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI are explicitly designed to build upon the existing network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). Article 5(1) of the proposal mandates that each Member State shall establish Centres for AI that "build on the European digital innovation hubs established under Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/694 and, where applicable, any successor entities established under Union law." The explanatory memorandum confirms this continuity, stating that the EDIHs have been "refocused as the experience and acceleration centres for AI." This structural integration ensures the new AI-focused infrastructure leverages existing local expertise, physical premises, and stakeholder networks rather than creating parallel, redundant administrative bodies.

Detail

The Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), as set out in COM(2026) 502 final, proposes a strategic evolution of the EU's innovation support infrastructure. Rather than establishing a completely new administrative layer, the proposal transforms the existing European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) into Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI (hereinafter "Centres for AI"). This transformation is not merely semantic; it represents a targeted pivot to address the specific technical, adoption, and capacity challenges of artificial intelligence, while retaining the established geographical footprint and collaborative ecosystems of the EDIH network.

Legal Basis and Structural Integration

The primary legal basis for this relationship is found in Article 5(1) of the CADA proposal. The text is explicit regarding the lineage of the new centres:

"Each Member State shall establish Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI ('Centres for AI'). Those Centres for AI shall build on the European digital innovation hubs established under Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/694 and, where applicable, any successor entities established under Union law."

This provision creates a direct statutory link between the new Centres for AI and the EDIHs. By using the mandatory phrase "shall build on," the legislator intends for the Centres for AI to inherit the operational foundations, geographical coverage, and established stakeholder networks of the EDIHs. The specific reference to "Article 16 of Regulation (EU) 2021/694" anchors the new initiative in the Digital Europe Programme's existing framework. Furthermore, the inclusion of "any successor entities" ensures that the requirement remains future-proof, adapting automatically to any subsequent legislative changes regarding the EDIH network structure without requiring amendments to CADA itself.

Strategic Rationale: From General Digital to AI-Specific

The explanatory memorandum accompanying the CADA proposal clarifies the strategic rationale behind this integration. It notes that the ongoing deployment of AI factories and gigafactories aims to provide broad access to high-capacity computational resources, but the EU also needs to expand its cloud and data centre capacity to support wider deployment. In this context, the memorandum states that the EDIHs have been "refocused as the experience and acceleration centres for AI."

The EU recognizes that while EDIHs have successfully supported general digital transformation, the rapid proliferation of AI requires specialized capabilities that go beyond standard digital literacy. The Centres for AI are tasked with supporting the integration and scaling-up of AI use cases in strategic industrial and public sectors, accelerating broad adoption at regional and local levels, and leveraging infrastructure for AI model development and fine-tuning. This refocusing allows the Union to capitalize on the "vibrant open-source communities and a strong industrial base" already present in the EDIH network, rather than starting from scratch.

Operational Objectives and Tasks

Under Article 5(2), the objectives of the Centres for AI are defined to support three core pillars:

  1. The integration and scaling-up of AI use cases in strategic industrial and public sectors.
  2. The acceleration of broad adoption of cloud and AI technologies at regional and local levels, notably for SMEs, small mid-caps (SMCs), and public sector bodies, in line with the 'AI first' principle.
  3. The leveraging of relevant infrastructure to accelerate the development and fine-tuning of AI models and systems.

To achieve these objectives, Article 5(3) tasks the Centres for AI with specific, actionable activities:

  • Helping organizations accelerate their digital transformation through access to and use of AI technologies, including by connecting organizations with European providers of cloud and AI technologies.
  • Ensuring or providing access to relevant upskilling and reskilling schemes, in close collaboration with the AI Skills Academy.
  • Facilitating the transfer of expertise across regions.
  • Supporting the scaling-up of spin-offs and start-ups emerging from universities, incubators, and other accelerators by facilitating access to clients, companies, and organizations seeking specialized AI services.

Network Collaboration and Autonomy

The proposal also establishes a network of Centres for AI to support collaboration and the exchange of best practices (Article 5(6)). This network is designed to provide specialized services across regions where the required skills or compute capacity are not available locally. This ensures that the refocused EDIHs do not operate in silos but function as an interconnected EU-wide resource, capable of addressing regional disparities in AI capability.

Crucially, Article 5(5) grants these centres "substantial overall autonomy as regards their organisation, composition and working methods," provided they comply with the objectives set out in the Regulation. This autonomy allows the centres to adapt their specific operational models to local market conditions while adhering to the Union-wide strategic goals.

Funding and Implementation

The implementation of the Centres for AI is entrusted to the Commission and Member States, and where relevant, to joint undertakings or other structures capable of achieving the objectives (Article 6(1)). The proposal indicates that these initiatives may be supported by funding from Union programmes, including Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/694 and Regulation (EU) 2021/695 (Article 6(3)). This continuity in funding mechanisms further reinforces the idea that the Centres for AI are an evolution, not a replacement, of the existing EDIH framework.

What this means for you

For CTOs, architects, SMEs, and public sector bodies, the transition from EDIHs to Centres for AI has several practical implications:

  1. Continuity of Access: You do not need to find new entry points for digital innovation support. Your local EDIH is likely to evolve into or become the primary interface for the Centre for AI in your region. The existing relationships, contacts, and knowledge of local regulatory environments will remain intact, reducing the onboarding friction for new AI initiatives.
  2. Specialized AI Support: While EDIHs offered broad digital transformation support, Centres for AI will provide deeper, more specialized assistance. This includes access to AI-specific testing environments, fine-tuning infrastructure, and expertise in AI governance and compliance. For architects, this means access to more robust technical resources for validating AI models in real-world conditions.
  3. Upskilling Opportunities: The Centres for AI are mandated to collaborate with the AI Skills Academy. This suggests a more structured and accessible pathway for upskilling your workforce in AI competencies, which is critical for organizations looking to adopt AI but lacking internal expertise.
  4. Networking and Collaboration: The network of Centres for AI facilitates cross-regional collaboration. If your region lacks specific AI capabilities, the network can connect you with other Centres for AI that possess the necessary resources or expertise, enabling a more pan-European approach to innovation.
  5. Focus on European Providers: The Centres for AI are tasked with connecting organizations with European providers of cloud and AI technologies. This aligns with the broader CADA goal of strengthening European technological sovereignty. For businesses evaluating vendors, this could mean increased visibility and support for EU-based AI solutions.

Common misconceptions

"The EDIHs are being abolished." Incorrect. The proposal explicitly states that Centres for AI "shall build on" the EDIHs. This implies a refocusing and enhancement of the existing network, not its dismantling. The physical hubs, staff, and local partnerships are intended to be retained and upgraded with AI-specific capabilities.

"Centres for AI are only for large enterprises." Incorrect. Article 5(2)(b) explicitly mentions accelerating adoption for SMEs and small mid-caps (SMCs). The tasks outlined in Article 5(3) also include supporting start-ups and spin-offs, indicating a strong focus on smaller entities and early-stage innovation.

"You must apply for a new membership or partnership." Unlikely to be a fresh start. Since the Centres for AI build on existing EDIH structures, current partnerships and memberships are expected to transition smoothly. However, specific programmes or funding mechanisms may require re-application or alignment with new AI-focused criteria.

"The Centres for AI will only provide consulting." Incorrect. While consulting is part of the role, Article 5(2)(c) highlights the leveraging of infrastructure for AI model development and fine-tuning. This suggests a more hands-on, technical support role, potentially including access to compute resources and testing facilities, rather than just advisory services.

Related

This is general information about a draft EU regulation, not legal advice.