23 March 2026

Question posed by François Benoy

In response to my question to the College of Aldermen on the City of Luxembourg's advertising columns (sometimes known as Morris columns), I received the following response at the meeting of the municipal council of 6 May 2024: "Our <em>Service Communication et relations publiques</em> (Communications and Public Relations Department) is currently working on a pilot project with the ICT Department. Increasing digitalisation is the trend. With this in mind, we plan to revamp the Reider displays across the different districts, which will also enable us to advertise non-profits' cultural events electronically. This pilot project will be rolled out initially in two of the city's larger districts."

• In concrete terms, where are we in relation to implementing the said pilot project to digitalise the Reider displays and advertise cultural events electronically?
• Has a schedule been drawn up for the implementation of the plans? When will the project actually begin?
• In which districts will the pilot project be rolled out? On what basis were those districts chosen?
• What plans are in place for working with cultural and local associations – notably in terms of access, management and dissemination of cultural content?

In the past, the Morris columns – or advertising columns – were an integral part of Luxembourg City's urban landscape. In addition to providing public information, they were an element of the city's culture and an aesthetically attractive component of the public space, helping to set the stage, so to speak, for cultural and associative life in the city. As is still the case in many European cities (such as Paris, notably, and various cities in Switzerland), this physical infrastructure contributed to the visibility to these images in public spaces and to their social role as vehicles for debate, interaction and collective expression. The gradual disappearance of these analogue display columns, in favour of purely digital displays, could represent a symbolic and cultural loss for our city, and one that electronic screens cannot fully offset.

• How does the College of Aldermen assess the cultural, aesthetic and symbolic loss attached to the disappearance of Morris columns from the urban public landscape?
• Which concrete steps are planned to preserve or recreate that cultural and artistic aspect of public displays in Luxembourg City?

Response provided by Mayor Lydie Polfer

In 2024, there was a pilot project in collaboration with Post Luxembourg, the primary aim of which was to improve the visibility of the associations that operate across our city. Signage panels were purchased, and the pilot project was implemented in Bonnevoie, Limpertsberg and Gasperich, on <em>Place Guillaume II</em> and within the Bierger-Center. Unfortunately, this arrangement was found not to work well, so the contract was cancelled. In this context, Post Luxembourg worked with a subcontractor.

We are now working with a different company – Apart – the agency that also manages our "City-App". We are working on the assumption that the project will be operational by October 2026.

The "e-Reider" signs are intended to provide interesting and helpful information about life in each neighbourhood, such as upcoming events, bus connections and public works. This information must not be commercial in nature.

With respect to the city's Morris columns – of which there were relatively few – the problem stemmed from the fact that the information displayed on them was commercial. The prices to advertise on them were quite high, and consequently, most of the adverts were from foreign advertisers. Today, the JCDecaux advertising panels incorporated into bus shelters are aimed at this market.

As I said, we hope the system will be operational from October, providing residents with better information about what is going on in their area.

Question posed by François Benoy

In recent years, many European cities and public administrations have engaged in profound reflection on how heavily they depend on digital solutions supplied by companies subject to jurisdictions outside of Europe – particularly, in the US. In many cases, this thinking has led to strategies aimed at reinforcing digital sovereignty, data protection and institutional resilience. For example, cities such as Munich, Berlin, Barcelona, Amsterdam and Copenhagen have, to varying degrees, implemented policies aiming to temper their dependency on software solutions and cloud infrastructures run by American providers – notably with a view to complying with European law, maintaining strategic control and ensuring continuity of public service.

This issue exists within a well-documented legal and geopolitical context. Since the adoption in 2018 of the US CLOUD Act (Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act), the US authorities can demand access to data held by companies subject to US jurisdiction, even when those data are physically stored within the territory of the European Union. This mechanism directly runs counter to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – particularly in terms of data transparency, the rights of data subjects, available recourse and compliance with EU legal sovereignty.

In an international climate that is marked by mounting geopolitical tensions, trade wars and the calling into question of certain balances in international law, numerous experts and institutions are highlighting the risk of access to data, to software or to digital infrastructure becoming an instrument of strategic pressure. This issue is of particular concern to public administrations which, in order to function properly, are increasingly reliant on essential digital tools (for things like administrative management, communication, services to the population, and handling of sensitive data).

• Today, which are the main software packages, cloud services and digital infrastructures used by the City of Luxembourg to run its administration and services, and to what extent do they depend on providers that are subject to US jurisdiction (examples would include Microsoft 365, Azure, Entra ID and equivalent services)?
• Can the College of Aldermen give details of the overall cost of the software licences which the City of Luxembourg currently uses, and a breakdown of those licences by provider? Were these licences acquired as part of a competitive tender? Is the City of Luxembourg bound by contracts that include minimum contract durations, automatic renewal clauses or other types of contractual commitments that could limit its room for manoeuvre or digital sovereignty?
• Can the College of Aldermen explain how fully the City of Luxembourg's data (administrative data, personal data, sensitive data) and the software necessary for the City to operate independently are protected from access mandated by foreign legislation – in particular, in view of the legal clash that exists between the GDPR and the US CLOUD Act?
• Has an internal audit been conducted to identify the City of Luxembourg's critical digital services that must be able to continue to run, at least to a minimal level, in the event that certain networks, servers or external cloud services become partially or completely unavailable? If so, what were its main findings?
• What measures has the City of Luxembourg put in place to save and secure data (backups), notably in relation to geographic location, independence and the possibility of swift restoration in the event of a cybersecurity crisis or loss of access to external services?
• Has the College of Aldermen identified or looked into alternative solutions – notably EU-based or open source – that would reduce the City's dependency on providers subject to extra-European jurisdictions? If so, which such solutions have been implemented, or are currently being studied?
• Does the College of Aldermen share the view that digital sovereignty, resilience of public services and operational autonomy are strategic issues of growing importance for municipal authorities – particularly in the context of heightened geopolitical tensions and growing cybersecurity risks?
• If so, which strategies or directions does the College of Aldermen intend to use, in the short and medium terms, to bolster the City of Luxembourg's digital independence and capacity for autonomous operation? If not, what are the reasons for it not believing that such a strategy is needed, or a matter of priority, at this moment in time?

Response provided by Alderman Patrick Goldschmidt

This is an interesting question, but also one that is highly complex from a technical standpoint. Every year, the City invests millions of euros in IT in order to maintain a strong position in this area, and ensure that its officers can work effectively on a daily basis, whilst providing the necessary security and resilience.

Our ICT Department already employs more than 80 people, and the College of Aldermen has approved the recruitment of additional staff, to further strengthen our capabilities in said fields. The risk is not only from the United States; there are also security risks stemming from people with ill intentions.

Councillor Benoy mentions the 2018 "Cloud Act". The US's objective is to have access to all data passing through American companies' servers, whatever the country where those servers are installed. Europe, of course, is less keen on this idea, and two European Court of Justice judgments ("Schrems 1" and "Schrems 2") established that it was not acceptable. For this reason, in recent times, we have made a major leap forward. We now have the "Data Privacy Framework” – which does not necessarily mean that less data are transferred to the US, or to anywhere else, but we are constantly vigilant to ensure that the least possible amount of data are transmitted without having data protection in place. The purpose of the data access demands is to combat crime (fraud, cybercrime, etc.) and terrorism. But, of course, these demands go too far. We estimate that we receive between 40,000 and 50,000 automated requests every year.

With the exception of Teams and SharePoint, all the software applications that the City uses have either been developed in-house or are purchased from European companies, and the corresponding data are stored on local servers in the municipality, so no data can be transferred to the United States in that way. Outlook, for example, is hosted not on the cloud, but on our own servers. Our internal applications include those relating to civil status, personnel management and accounting.

In relation to Teams and SharePoint, our employees are subject to directives concerning the use of these programs – particularly in terms of which files may be shared, though it is difficult to determine the precise extent of this regulatory framework.

For security reasons, software licences are not listed individually in the budget.

An external audit has been carried out to evaluate the City's cyber-resilience. The areas examined in this context also include, for example, access control in municipal buildings.

As has been mentioned, other countries are aiming to use exclusively EU-based solutions. There are some areas in which this is simply not possible. In these areas, we must endeavour to establish the best possible protection.

It should be pointed out that the majority of computer hardware and chips come from either the USA or China. There is no such thing as 100% security, and we cannot state with absolute certainty that everyone will abide by every law and that there will be no data leaks.

I can, however, assure you that the City employs every means at its disposal to ensure its systems are as resilient and secure as possible, and spares no expense when it comes to making the necessary investments.

Question posed by Christa Brömmel

A recent circular sent out by the Ministry of Family Affairs relates to the Neighbours' Day celebrations. Neighbours' Day is scheduled for 22 May in 2026. The Ministry also tells us that it will now be free to take part, and that the association ASTI is in charge of organising the event, since the association ALPS has been dissolved.

For years, the City of Luxembourg has been committed to fostering community spirit across its many neighbourhoods, and contributes to the Neighbours' Day initiative. However, the City only provides benches and tables for citizens to use for the "official" Neighbours' Day (i.e. on the aforementioned date). Thus, neighbourhoods that, for various reasons, do not want to hold the celebration on 22 May (and 23 and 24 May) have to rent the equipment which, obviously, costs money. The reasons for wanting to do it on a different day might include the vicissitudes of the spring weather (cold, rain) and the start/end of school holidays (many people already on holiday/not yet back from holiday). Thus, certain neighbourhoods would choose to hold a neighbours' day later in the summer.

• Will changes be made to the organisation of Neighbours' Day now that ASTI has taken over the reins (for the municipal departments and citizens)?
• Does the College of Aldermen intend to provide benches and tables to residents who want to hold their event at a different time prior to the summer holidays?
• Can the College of Aldermen offer an overview of how previous editions have gone, and update the Municipal Council on the trend in participation in the event – in particular, the number of celebrations held per district, and the number of authorisations granted for parks or to close streets to traffic?
• What measures does the College of Aldermen/the City of Luxembourg implement to encourage residents to behave in an ecologically sustainable manner (e.g. by reducing waste, or by recycling)? Would it be feasible, in consultation with the Environment Committee and the Intercultural Harmony Committee, to establish a prize to reward neighbourhoods that commit to abide by ecological criteria?

Response provided by Alderwoman Corinne Cahen

I thank Councillor Brömmel for her support of the Neighbours' Day celebrations, as manifested by that question. This event has an important role to play, as do so-called "third places", which also allow neighbours to meet and get to know one another. The City continues to support the event, and is also actively promoting it. The <em>Service IBS</em> (Integration and Special Needs Department) is providing the residents with the equipment they need (invitations, gadgets, banners, etc.). Tables and benches will only be made available on the weekend of the official event.

The <em>Service IBS</em> draws up a report every year. In 2025, 36 celebrations were held across 18 districts. Bonnevoie had the most, with 9. In 2024, we had 70 celebrations across 21 districts. That year, too, Bonnevoie topped the list, with 10 events. Thus, there is still room for progress. However, Councillor Brömmel rightly pointed out that the celebration takes place on the first weekend of the Pentecost holidays, and many people are away on holiday during that time. In any case, many expatriates are not often in Luxembourg at the weekends.

The City is providing support to all grassroots initiatives – in other words, initiatives proposed by the residents themselves. In particular, I am thinking of the "Initiative Cents", which organises so many get-togethers that there is some sort of district festival going on in Cents practically every day. The events on offer range from walking groups, yoga classes and language classes to opportunities to share a drink, a meal and a chat.

In relation to environmental measures, the City – from the <em>Service Hygiène</em> (Sanitation Department) to the <em>Service Événements, Fêtes et Marchés</em> (Events, Festivals and Markets Department), and the Environmental Officer – is available to support residents with its expertise. The Environmental Officer has produced information sheets with recommendations on how best to hold celebrations that are respectful of the environment.

The banners are reusable, and are collected again after the neighbourhood event. They are washed by the <em>Service Hygiène</em> so they can be reused the following year.

The idea of holding a contest is an interesting suggestion for a way forward. At present, our objective is for citizens to implement the recommendations put forward by the nationwide "Green events" label. The Environmental Officer is currently thinking about ways to raise awareness among organisers, and arranging a contest would indeed be a potential way forward.

The City's website has a series of flyers that contain practical information on organising such events (including things like reusable cups, travelling by bike or public transport, serving tap water rather than bottled water, etc.).

Question posed by Christa Brömmel

From the response to Parliamentary Question no. 3342, I understand that a study conducted by the <em>Observatoire de l'habitat</em> (Accommodation Observatory) identified some 400 addresses "combining different types of accommodation" in Luxembourg City. In the districts that were studied, 41 addresses for cafés were found in total, and 29 addresses were categorised as "café/rental property", "operating more along the lines of a building divided into apartments". This is not an exhaustive inventory.

According to the Law of 20 December 2019, rooms for rent must be declared to the municipal authorities, which, in turn, are required to enforce criteria relating to health, hygiene, safety and habitability.

• How many rooms des the City of Luxembourg estimate are available to rent in its territory?
• How many declarations of rooms available to rent did the City of Luxembourg receive in 2023, 2024 and 2025?
• What information does the City have about how these rooms are complying with the requirements of the 2019 law?
• How many of those properties have been inspected in the past 3 years? What were the findings?
• Does the College of Aldermen agree that it is important to be aware of the types of accommodation on offer, as a precondition for checking that they are fit for human habitation? What is the College of Aldermen doing to gain a clearer overall view of the distribution of the different types of accommodation in the city?
• What measures has the City of Luxembourg taken to inform tenants and sub-tenants of their rights, and support them in exercising those rights?

Response provided by Alderwoman Corinne Cahen

Councillor Brömmel's conclusion is indeed correct. It is certainly true that it is sometimes a difficult situation, because people need somewhere to live. In December 2025, I responded to a similar question from Councillor Miltgen – relating specifically, in that instance, to "furnished rooms".

We estimate that, across the municipality, there are 443 units being let out as furnished rooms. This estimate is based on official declarations from owners or operators; the fact that there is a difference between these two potential types of declarant does not make things any easier. Indeed, we often see subletting – for example, when the owner is a catering establishment, as is the case for rooms above cafés ("Cafészëmmeren"). The City is in contact with the major cafés and other catering establishments concerned, and a huge effort is being made to renovate and improve the rooms in question.

Between 2023 and 2025, declaration forms were received in relation to 59 buildings. Of those, 35 were inspected. The City received complaints about 77 buildings, of which 27 were inspected.

The problems found during these inspections include lack of authorisation, non-compliance with rules on minimum required floor space, lack of a kitchen or of access to a kitchen, failure to comply with safety criteria (smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, secondary evacuation routes, etc.), the lack of a place to dry laundry, and non-compliant electrical installations. If such problems are found, the owner or operator will receive a letter from the municipal authorities, demanding that they rectify them.

Inspectors notably check which type of accommodation it is (for example, whether it is an "Airbnb"-type property) and whether the authorised plans have been met. In principle, the police and CGDIS are not party to these inspections. I recommend the recent television documentary about the City of Luxembourg's <em>Service Logement</em> (Housing Department), which gives a fair picture of the work that it does. Invariably, the objective is to allow people to live in dignified conditions in their respective homes.

Question posed by Tom Weidig

This morning, in the newspaper "L'Essentiel", it is reported that a 14-year-old was assaulted by a group of adolescents in Bonnevoie on 19 March.

• What does the College of Aldermen know about this incident and about the alleged perpetrators?
• Is the College of Aldermen aware of other similar cases?
• What measures is the City taking to combat assaults on young people?
• What advice would the Mayor give to parents of teenagers to protect their children from such assaults?

Response provided by Mayor Lydie Polfer

I was surprised, to say the least, to receive this question this morning, because as an elected member, Councillor Weidig ought to be aware that neither the Mayor nor the City of Luxembourg authorities have access to the information he is asking for. The City of Luxembourg is not the Criminal Investigations Department, the Grand-Ducal Police or the judiciary.

I only have the information that was published this morning by the Public Prosecutor's Office in a press release – that is, that the assault took place in Kaltreis Park on 19 March, that the victim is 14 years of age, and the perpetrators are young people between the ages of 13 and 17, who are apparently part of a "known group". The Prosecutor has stated that "these actions (…) are particularly serious", and that the perpetrators filmed themselves carrying out the attack: "It has also been found, during the course of the enquiry, that the events were filmed by the perpetrators themselves. These recordings, which were seized as part of the investigations, seem to have been made with a view to showing off and glorifying the acts, which could be thought of as a kind of 'trophy'". The case was immediately passed by the Bonnevoie police station to the Criminal Investigation Department, which has assigned twelve specialist investigators.

It is to be hoped that the truth will soon come to light, and the necessary measures will be taken in the wake of such a horrific and violent assault.

This morning, a resident also informed me that there have been public-order disturbances at night in Kaltreis Park. The College of Aldermen intends to commission a security firm, which is already operating in the Ville-Haute Municipal Park, to begin patrolling Kaltreis Park too.