Summary Under the proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), Belgium would be required to establish Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI (Centres for AI) as mandated by Article 5. These centres would build upon the existing network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) to specifically accelerate the adoption of cloud and AI technologies. Their primary role is to act as local entry points for SMEs, small mid-caps (SMCs), and public sector bodies, connecting them with European cloud and AI providers. Crucially, these centres would serve as the operational backbone for Belgium's national cloud and AI strategy (required under Article 7), ensuring that digital transformation efforts are coordinated across regions and aligned with EU-wide objectives.

Detail

The proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), COM(2026) 502 final, introduces a comprehensive framework to strengthen the European cloud and AI ecosystem. A central pillar of this framework is the creation of a dedicated network of Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI. For Belgium, as for all Member States, this represents a significant structural evolution of its digital support infrastructure, moving from general innovation hubs to specialised AI acceleration nodes.

Legal Basis and Structural Evolution

The obligation for Belgium to establish these centres is explicit in Article 5(1) of the proposal. The text states: "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."

This provision clarifies that the Centres for AI are not intended to be entirely new administrative entities created from scratch. Instead, the proposal envisions an evolution and repurposing of the existing European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). Belgium would be required to adapt its current EDIH network to focus specifically on the "AI first" principle, leveraging existing infrastructure, expertise, and regional presence to meet the new, more specific mandates of CADA.

Core Objectives and Mandated Tasks

The strategic purpose of these centres is defined in Article 5(2). They are tasked with three primary objectives:

  1. Scaling Use Cases: Supporting the integration and scaling-up of AI use cases in strategic industrial and public sectors.
  2. Broad Adoption: Accelerating the broad adoption of cloud and AI technologies at regional and local levels, with a specific focus on SMEs, small mid-caps (SMCs), and public sector bodies. This adoption must align with the "AI first" principle, urging organisations to consider AI opportunities in their business processes.
  3. Infrastructure Leverage: Leveraging relevant infrastructure to accelerate the development and fine-tuning of AI models and systems.

Article 5(3) further details the specific operational tasks these centres must perform. For Belgian public bodies and businesses, these tasks define the tangible support available:

  • Connecting to European Providers: The centres must help organisations accelerate their digital transformation by "connecting organisations with European providers of cloud and AI technologies." This directly supports CADA's broader sovereignty goals by steering demand away from non-European incumbents and towards the EU's own ecosystem.
  • Upskilling and Reskilling: The centres are responsible for ensuring or providing access to relevant upskilling and reskilling schemes. They must do this "in close collaboration with the AI Skills Academy," ensuring that the workforce has the necessary competencies to manage AI systems.
  • Regional Expertise Transfer: They must facilitate the transfer of expertise across regions, ensuring that knowledge is not siloed within specific Belgian provinces or cities.
  • Supporting Start-ups: The centres are tasked with supporting the scaling-up of spin-offs and start-ups emerging from universities and incubators by facilitating access to clients and organisations seeking specialised AI services.

The EU-Wide Network and Cross-Border Cooperation

The Centres for AI in Belgium would not operate in isolation. Article 5(6) mandates that "a network of Centres for AI shall be established to support collaboration and the exchange of best practices among Centres for AI." This network is designed to provide specialised services across regions where the required skills or compute capacity are not available locally.

For Belgium, this means that a public body in a region with limited local AI expertise could access support from the network, potentially tapping into resources or expertise from other Belgian regions or even other Member States. This ensures a level playing field and prevents a "digital divide" within the country.

Furthermore, Article 5(7) requires Member States and the Commission to cooperate with existing networks established under other Union initiatives, including those in the field of semiconductors and data. This ensures that the AI acceleration efforts are integrated with broader digital infrastructure strategies, such as those related to the Chips Act or the Data Act.

The Critical Link to Belgium's National Strategy

The establishment of these centres is inextricably linked to Belgium's broader regulatory obligations under CADA. Article 7 requires Member States to establish national cloud and AI strategies within one year of the Regulation's entry into force.

These national strategies must include specific measures to accelerate the development and adoption of cloud and AI at national, regional, and local levels. Crucially, Article 7(2)(b) explicitly mandates that these strategies must include "measures to support the broad deployment and uptake of AI... including by supporting the Centres for AI referred to in Article 5 as entry points to the European AI innovation ecosystem."

Therefore, the Centres for AI would serve as the primary operational vehicles for delivering on Belgium's national strategy. The strategy would outline how funding, resources, and mandates are allocated to these centres to ensure they can effectively serve public and private stakeholders. Without the Centres for AI, Belgium would struggle to meet the specific targets set out in its national strategy regarding AI adoption and the "AI first" principle.

What this means for you

For public-sector procurement officers, digital transformation leaders, and business owners in Belgium, the Experience and Acceleration Centres for AI represent a new, centralised resource for navigating the evolving AI landscape.

1. A Single Point of Contact for Sovereign Cloud One of the main challenges for Belgian public bodies is identifying cloud providers that meet the new Union Assurance Levels proposed in CADA's sovereignty framework. The Centres for AI would act as a trusted intermediary, connecting your organisation with European providers who are already aligned with these standards. By leveraging the centre's network, you can reduce the due diligence burden and find partners that comply with the "European added value" criteria mentioned in Article 32.

2. Accelerating Innovation Procurement for SMEs CADA encourages public procurement of innovation, with Member States aiming to award at least 25% of relevant cloud and AI procurement to innovative SMEs (Article 33). The Centres for AI would facilitate matchmaking between public buyers and these innovative European SMEs and start-ups. They can help you structure procurement procedures that are friendly to smaller innovators, ensuring you can access cutting-edge AI solutions without the complexity of dealing with large, non-sovereign incumbents.

3. Bridging the Skills Gap Adopting AI requires not just technology, but also competent staff. The Centres for AI would provide access to upskilling schemes in collaboration with the AI Skills Academy. For procurement officers and IT managers, this means you can collaborate with these centres to ensure your teams have the necessary AI literacy to evaluate tenders, manage contracts, and oversee the use of high-risk AI systems in compliance with the AI Act.

4. Regional Equity and Collaboration If your specific region in Belgium lacks local AI expertise, the networked nature of the Centres for AI ensures you can still access support. You can collaborate with centres in other regions or Member States to share best practices and gain access to specialised services, ensuring that public services across Belgium benefit from AI advancements regardless of local resource constraints.

Common misconceptions

Misconception 1: The Centres for AI will replace the European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs). Reality: The CADA proposal explicitly states that the Centres for AI shall "build on" the existing EDIHs (Article 5(1)). This implies an evolution, integration, or repurposing of existing hubs rather than a replacement. The existing expertise and infrastructure of the EDIHs will be leveraged and expanded to focus more specifically on AI acceleration.

Misconception 2: These centres are only for large enterprises. Reality: Article 5(2)(b) explicitly highlights the acceleration of adoption for SMEs and small mid-caps (SMCs). The centres are specifically designed to lower the barrier to entry for smaller organisations that may lack the internal resources to adopt AI independently.

Misconception 3: The centres will provide free AI software. Reality: The centres do not provide software directly. Instead, they provide expertise, testing environments, and connections to providers. They facilitate the transfer of expertise and help organisations scale up by connecting them with providers and clients (Article 5(3)(d)).

Misconception 4: Belgium can ignore the network aspect. Reality: The proposal mandates the establishment of a network of Centres for AI to support collaboration and exchange of best practices across the EU (Article 5(6)). Belgium's centres are part of a broader European ecosystem, and ignoring cross-border collaboration would limit the effectiveness of the national strategy and the centres' ability to access specialised expertise.

Official sources

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