From connectivity to capability: meet CEF-funded projects at the Mobile World Congress 2026

The Mobile World Congress (MWC), taking place from 2 to 5 March 2026 in Barcelona, is a key event for the global connectivity industry. This year, the congress enters “The IQ Era”, a theme celebrating the convergence of next-generation connectivity and artificial intelligence.

As the digital backbone of our society is being rewired through smart digital infrastructure and edge computing, projects managed by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) are demonstrating practical value and helping foster a more connected Europe, from the remote landscapes of the Danube Delta to high-tech hospitals in Scandinavia.

Several projects managed by HaDEA are attending the congress. Learn more about them:

5G Mobile Healthcare Innovative Solutions (#5GMHI)

This project focuses on pre-hospital and intra-hospital use cases, as well as facility management to contribute to patient safety, increased quality and efficiency.
The use cases that will be implemented using 5G technology are:

• video-connected ambulances to the emergency room;
• drones as first responders for early situational awareness from the accident scene and delivery of defibrillators;
• location of connected hospital beds and medical technical equipment at one of Sweden’s largest emergency hospitals;
• sensors for measuring indoor climate and building operations with digital twins and augmented reality. 

Represented by Region Stockholm, the project will participate to a keynote session at the Digital Health Summit on how 5G can support the patient journey through drones as first responders and real-time video from ambulances to the ER.

Where to find them:

• Digital Health Summit: Powering the Future of Healthcare Through Connectivity March 3rd | 15:00 - 18:00 | Hall 6, Lamarr Stage

5G Connect Danube Delta (5G-CDD)

5G Connect Danube Delta (5G-CDD) is demonstrating how 5G Standalone with distributed Edge Cloud deployment can transform the Danube Delta, one of Europe’s most isolated UNESCO sites. By enabling Digital Education, Healthcare, Slow Tourism and Environmental Monitoring applications, the project serves as a model for inclusive and sustainable innovation. The 5G coverage is extended across 23 localities in the Danube Delta, ensuring connectivity for communities, public institutions and local stakeholders.

5G Coverage along Eastern Balkans and Black Sea Corridors (WAVEO)

5G Coverage along Eastern Balkans and Black Sea Corridors (WAVEO) is set up on the TEN-T Bulgaria-Romania Road Corridor and plans to provide 5G SA coverage between the Romania-Bulgaria borders. The project is a prerequisite of further digitalisation and multimodality improvements based on 5G infrastructure deployment, alongside border, including rural areas, to support the future of connected and automated mobility (CAM) as a starting point use case.

5G-Aurora Healthcare Technology Implementation Initiative (5G-AHTII)

Operating in the northernmost reaches of Scandinavia, the project is focused on the resilience of healthcare infrastructure. The project explores how network slicing can prioritise life-saving data in Arctic conditions and how 5G-enabled IoT sensors can monitor indoor hospital climates to boost energy efficiency.

Background 

CEF Digital aims to leverage public and private investments in digital connectivity infrastructures of common European interest, supporting an unprecedented number of investments devoted to safe, secure, and sustainable high-performance infrastructure.

Find out more about the topics, calls and projects.