THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS - stresses that local authorities are not just facilitators for or customers of industry, but that their fundamental role as leaders and innovators also needs to be recognised; - underlines that the industry-led approach envisaged by the Commission must be founded on well-defined citizen needs for which there is real evidence. Local authorities play a decisive role in identifying and highlighting the needs and expectations of local public and private stakeholders, such as business, academia, civil society and local residents. This critical relationship includes, consultations and effective mechanisms for local involvement, and should be given a prominent place; - feels that the Commission needs to clarify the conditions for identifying and selecting ground-breaking innovative solutions and ensure that the process is open, transparent and preferably linked to a specific tender procedure, and that sufficient funding is made available; - recommends that the Commission produce a user-friendly guide identifying all the European programmes and initiatives that provide funding for innovative projects that could be developed within the SCC framework, including initiatives such as the Green Digital Charter, the Covenant of Mayors, Civitas, Concerto, etc. as an informative overview of all programmes connected with smart cities and communities; - would particularly like to stress that a key element in work on the SCC will be developing smart grids.