A high level group of CEOs, mayors and bank managers will be set up to steer the development of new technologies that will make cities “smarter” and greener, and to recommend how to boost their market uptake. The announcement was made on Tuesday in an EU policy paper launching a European Innovation Partnership (EIP) on smart cities. The EIP is an industry-led partnership aimed at improving urban transport, energy and ICT systems. Unlike other EIPs such as the one for the water sector launched in May, the Smart Cities and Communities (SCC) plan has no specific policy goals for the years to come. Adrian Joyce, secretary general of the European Alliance of Companies for Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EuroACE), said the plan needed a long-term vision with milestones so that buildings’ potential can be fully achieved.