The EU sees small countries as having great potential in competing with the rest of the world, said the boss of IJS, which organised the meeting.

The conference kicked off with several contributions, among them one by Hannes Astok of the Estonian e-administration academy, who talked about data digitalisation. He believes data should be stored locally, but a safety copy must also be kept at a different location within the country.

Meanwhile, Oliver Usher of the UK company Nesta talked about potential uses for unmanned aircraft in the cities of the future. Drones could help first responders by delivering drugs and medical equipment to car crash sites or fires, according to Usher.

They are also being mentioned as an alternative means of transportation but this would require appropriate airspace regulation and infrastructural changes in cities, he said.

Allan Mayo, a smart cities strategist from the UK, believes that the traffic jams, pollution and increased flood risks are the key challenges of future cities.

He believes that comprehensive organisational changes are needed, including changes to the economy, infrastructure and greater environmental awareness.