Building The EU Data Economy: Time For An Upgrade?

The EU Commission recently launched a Public consultation on Building the European data economy. The objective behind the consultation is to feed into the Commission's future policy agenda on the European data economy in 2017.

The data economy

In its Communication entitled "Building a European Data Economy," the Commission has re-identified (from its 2012 Communication) the need to upgrade the EU's legal regarding the trade of data.

The Commission emphasises that "Unjustified restrictions on the free movement of data are likely to constrain the development of the EU data economy". Data – and access to it – is at the heart of economic growth, job creation and societal progress, and data analysis has an influential role to play in innovation, decision-making and predictions about future trends and events. A balance, therefore, needs to be struck.