The administrative arm of the 27-nation European Union (EU) says its new Data Act “will ensure fairness in the digital environment, stimulate a competitive data market, open opportunities for data-driven innovation and make data more accessible for all”.
Executive VP Margrethe Vestager (pictured), whose role in the Commission is to develop “a Europe fit for the digital age”, said: “We want to give consumers and companies even more control over what can be done with their data, clarifying who can access data and on what terms. This is a key digital principle that will contribute to creating a solid and fair data-driven economy and guide the digital transformation by 2030.”
Thierry Breton, commissioner for internal market, added: “The Data Act will ensure that industrial data is shared, stored and processed in full respect of European rules. It will form the cornerstone of a strong, innovative and sovereign European digital economy.”
There will be new rules that allow users customers to switch between different cloud providers, as well as “safeguards against unlawful data transfer”, said the Commission.
The new Data Act – which updates the EU’s data-protection laws from the 1990s – includes data from internet-of-things (IoT) devices. They “should not be subject to separate legal protection”, says the Commission. “This will ensure they can be accessed and used.”
