The Smart Country Convention 2026 kicks off in Berlin with record attendance figures and an optimistic outlook for a digitally strong Europe. At the opening ceremony, Dr Karsten Wildberger, Federal Minister for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation, expressed his pride at acting as patron of the event for the second time. Now in its ninth year, the SCCON has become one of the world’s largest digitalisation events, he emphasised.

650 exhibitors, more than 800 speakers

“This is the biggest Smart Country Convention we’ve ever had,” confirms Dr Mario Tobias, Chairman of the Management Board at Messe Berlin. More than 650 exhibitors from 16 European countries are filling the three fully booked SCCON halls. Around 23,000 visitors are expected over the three days of the event. More than 800 speakers are scheduled to appear on seven stages, with over 1,000 sessions on the programme.

In view of increasing cyberattacks and the threat to critical infrastructure, it is no longer just a matter of making digitalisation “smart and fast, but also resilient and secure”, emphasises Tobias. This is “not a niche topic” that stops at national borders. “What we need is a genuinely European approach.”

Dr Ralf Wintergerst, President of the digital industry association Bitkom, which organises SCCON in partnership with Messe Berlin, also sees a need for action. 91 per cent of citizens in Germany would like to see a more digital state with more effective communication structures. However, government institutions are not designed for digital processes. The transformation requires time and patience – “and yet we must still move faster.”

Europe must find its own digital path

China and the US have launched a rapid technological race in which Europe must not be left behind, warns Wintergerst. Non-digitised states face a competitive disadvantage. Added to this are security risks: some companies from other regions of the world are using AI products despite being aware of their security flaws. “No other industry would allow this to happen. Or would you board an aeroplane that hadn’t been thoroughly inspected?” he asks. “We must find our own, European path.” Many solutions are already on display at the SCCON. The task now is to bring as many of them as possible to market in order to achieve a multiplier effect.

Portugal demonstrates how quickly digitalisation can succeed

Portugal, the partner country of the Smart Country Convention 2026, demonstrates just how quickly government structures can be digitalised. The country, with a population of ten million, ranks third out of 42 countries in the OECD’s Global Digital Government Index. Only Australia and South Korea have achieved a higher level of digitalisation in their public administration.

In spring 2026, Portugal became the first EU country to introduce the Digital Business Wallet – with great success, as Goncalo Matias, Minister for State Reform and Public Administration, reports. Half of the Portuguese population already uses the wallet, and all documents are accessible there. The government is also deploying AI agents to implement construction projects more quickly and simplify contract management.

“Ultimately, every final decision is made by a human being,” emphasises Matias. Machines can handle simple searches and comparisons. “We can make better use of human intelligence.” If the EU networks its digital solutions, “we’ll be able to do business across Europe with just a smartphone in our hand. That’s the vision: it’s a new world.”