espacios de datos

Under the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Government of Spain has led the Gaia-X Summit 2023, held in Alicante on November 9 and 10. The event aimed to review the latest advances of Gaia-X in promoting data sovereignty in Europe. As presented on datos.gob.es, Gaia-X is a European private sector initiative for the creation of a federated, open, interoperable, and reversible data infrastructure, fostering digital sovereignty and data availability.

The summit has also served as a space for the exchange of ideas among the leading voices in the European data spaces community, culminating in the presentation of a statement to boost strategic autonomy in cloud computing, data, and artificial intelligence—considered crucial for EU competitiveness. The document, promoted by the State Secretariat for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence, constitutes a joint call for a "more coherent and coordinated" response in the development of programs and projects, both at the European and member state levels, related to data and sector technologies.

To achieve this, the statement advocates for interoperability supported by a robust cloud services infrastructure and the development of high-quality data-based artificial intelligence with a robust governance framework in compliance with European regulatory frameworks. Specifically, it highlights the possibilities offered by Deep Neural Networks, where success relies on three main factors: algorithms, computing capacity, and access to large amounts of data. In this regard, the document emphasizes the need to invest in the latter factor, promoting a neural network paradigm based on high-quality, well-parameterized data in shared infrastructures, not only saving valuable time for researchers but also mitigating environmental degradation by reducing computing needs beyond the brute force paradigm.

For this reason, another aspect addressed in the document is the stimulation of access to data sources from different complementary domains. This would enable a "flexible, dynamic, and highly scalable" data economy to optimize processes, innovate, and/or create new business models.

The call is optimistic about existing European initiatives and programs, starting with the Gaia-X project itself. Other projects highlighted include IPCEI-CIS or the Simpl European project. It also emphasizes the need for "broader and more effective coordination to drive industrial projects, advance the standardization of cloud and reliable data tags, ensuring high levels of cybersecurity, data protection, algorithmic transparency, and portability."

The statement underscores the importance of achieving a single data market that includes data exchange processes under a common governance framework. It values the innovative set of digital and data legislation, such as the Data Act, with the goal of promoting data availability across the Union. The statement is open to new members seeking to advance the promotion of a flexible, dynamic, and highly scalable data economy.

You can read the full document here: The Trinity of Trusted Cloud Data and AI as a Gateway to EU's Competitiveness

Trust, as a key factor in unlocking the potential of data in the digital economy, is an increasingly central element in all data regulations. The European General Data Protection Regulation, in 2016 already recognised that if individuals have more control over their own personal data, this will improve trust and contribute to the positive impact on the development of the digital economy. The European Commission's European Data Law 2022 European Commission proposal puts even greater emphasis on the targets themselves, stating that "low trust prevents the full potential of data-driven innovation from being realised".

Among the findings of the World Data Regulation Survey published by the World Bank in 2021, highlights the need to strengthen regulatory frameworks around the world to build greater citizen trust. This would contribute to  more effective effectiveness of government initiatives that use data and that aim, in many cases, to generate value forsociety. As an example, he cites the limited impact of contact-tracking applications around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, largely due to a lack of public confidence in the potential use of the data provided.

If we really believe that trust in data is so critical to creating value for society and the economy, we need to pay close attention both to the mechanisms we have at our disposal to enhance that trustworthiness, and to the strategies for building and maintaining that trust, beyond the regulatory frameworks themselves.

Quality and transparency

Trust in data starts with quality and transparency. When users understand how data are collected, processed and maintained, they are more likely to trust them to use them use it,  and even be more willing to contribute their own data.

A fundamental mechanism for ensuring quality and transparency is the implementation of rigorous standards, such as the UNE specifications for Data Governance UNE 0077:2023, Data Management UNE 0078:2023, and Data Quality Management UNE 0079:2023 at each stage of the data lifecycle. On the one hand, quality is enhanced through the deployment of robust validation and verification practices that ensure the accuracy and integrity of the data, and on the other hand, transparency is improved through, for example, descriptive metadata that provide detailed information about the data, including its origin, collection methodology and any transformation it has undergone.

European Data Spaces

The European Data Spaces is an ambitious EU initiative aimed at building trust and facilitating the exchange and use of data between countries and sectors in a secure and regulated environment. The central idea behind the European Data Spaces is to create environments in which the availability, accessibility and interoperability of data are maximised, while the risks associated with data handling are minimised. Initially the European data strategy initially envisaged 10 data spaces in strategic areas such as health, energy or public administration. Since then this number has grown and other data spaces have been launched in important areas such as media and cultural heritage, or in strategic sectors for Spain such as tourism. 

In order to bet on the leadership in data spaces in strategic sectors for Spain, the government is promoting the Gaia-X Spanish Hub the Spanish government is promoting a new initiative, comprised of companies of all sizes, aimed at deploying a solid ecosystem in the field of industrial data sharing

Improving cyber security

The increasing number of cyber security incidents media headlines, some of which have even brought private companies and public bodies to a standstill, has made cyber security a primary concern for users and organisations in the digital age.

Robust cyber security involves organisations deploying advanced technologies and best practices to protect systems and data from unauthorised access and malicious manipulation through measures such as firewalls, two-factor authentication, and real-time threat monitoring and detection, encryption two-factor authentication, and real-time threat monitoring and detection. However, improving users' education and cybersecurity awareness is also vital to help them recognise and avoid potential threats.

European digital identity

The European Digital Identity is being developed in the framework of the European Union with the aim of providing citizens and businesses with a secure and unified way of accessing services, public and private, online and offline, across the EU. The idea is that, with a European digital identity, people would be able to identify themselves or confirm data in services such as banking, education or health, among others, in a secure and frictionless way, providing a high level of security and privacy protection.

This deepens the framework of trust and confidence created by the EIDAS Regulation on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market, which already contributes significantly to increasing consumer confidence phishing or improving confidence in the origin of documents.

Building a culture of trust and responsibility in the handling of data and digital infrastructures is the focus of the actions of EU governments, including Spain. In this context, the intersection between data quality and transparency, robust cybersecurity that reduces cybercrime, European Data Spaces, and European digital identity stand out as key mechanisms to cultivate this trust and propose a route towards greater innovation that ultimately generates social and economic value through data.

On September 11^th, a webinar was held to review Gaia-X, from its foundations, embodied by its architecture and trust model called Trust Framework, to the Federation Services that aim to facilitate and speed up access to the infrastructure, to the catalogue of services that some users (providers) will be able to make available to others (consumers).

The webinar, led by the manager of the Spanish Gaia-X Hub, was led by two experts from the Data Office, who guided the audience through their presentations towards a better understanding of the Gaia-X initiative. At the end of the session, there was a dynamic question and answer session to go into more detail. A recording of this seminar can be accessed from the Hub's official website,[Forging the Future of Federated Data Spaces in Europe | Gaia-X (gaiax.es)]

Gaia-X as a key building block for forging European Data Spaces

Gaia-X emerges as an innovative paradigm to facilitate the integration of IT resources. Based on Web 3.0 technology models, the identification and traceability of different data resources is enabled, from data sets, algorithms, different semantic or other conceptual models, to even underlying technology infrastructure (cloud resources). This serves to make the origin and functioning of these entities visible, thus facilitating transparency and compliance with European regulations and values.

Mark them on your calendar, make a note in your agenda, or set reminders on your mobile to not forget about this list of events on data and open government taking place this autumn. This time of year brings plenty of opportunities to learn about technological innovation and discuss the transformative power of open data in society. 

From practical workshops to congresses and keynote speeches, in this post, we present some of the standout events happening in October and November. Sign up before the slots fill up!

Data spaces in the EU: synergies between data protection and data spaces

At the beginning of the tenth month of the year, the Spanish Data Protection Agency (AEPD) and the European Cybersecurity Agency (ENISA) will hold an event in English to address the challenges and opportunities of implementing the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in EU data spaces.

During the conference, the conference will review best practices of existing EU data spaces, analyse the interaction between EU legislation and policies on data exchange and present data protection engineering as an integral element in the structure of data spaces, as well as its legal implications.

• Who is it aimed at? This event promises to be a platform for knowledge and collaboration of interest to anyone interested in the future of data in the region.
• When and where is it? On October 2^nd in Madrid from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM and available for streaming with prior registration until 2:45 PM.
• Registration: link no longer available 

SEMIC Conference 'Interoperable Europe in the age of AI'

Also in October, the annual SEMIC conference organised by the European Commission in collaboration with the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union returns. This year's event takes place in Madrid and will explore how interoperability in the public sector and artificial intelligence can benefit each other through concrete use cases and successful projects.

Sessions will address the latest trends in data spaces, digital governance, data quality assurance and generative artificial intelligence, among others. In addition, a proposal for an Interoperable Europe Act will be presented.

• Who is it aimed at? Public or private sector professionals working with data, governance and/or technology. Last year's edition attracted more than 1,000 professionals from 60 countries.
• When and where is it? The conference will be held on October 18^th at the Hotel Riu Plaza in Madrid and can also be followed online. Pre-conference workshops will take place on October 17^th at the National Institute of Public Administration
• Registration: https://semic2023.eu/registration/

A data space is a development framework that enables the creation of a complete ecosystem by providing an organisational, regulatory, technical and governance structure with the objective of facilitating the reliable and secure exchange of different data assets for the common benefit of all actors involved and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Data spaces are also a key element of the European Union's new data strategy and an essential building block in realising the goal of the European single data market.

As part of this strategy, the EU is currently exploring the creation of several data space pilots in a number of strategic sectors and domains: health, industry, agriculture, finance, mobility, Green Pact, energy, public administration and skills. These data spaces offer great potential to help organisations improve decision-making, increase innovation, develop new products, services and business models, reduce costs and avoid duplication of efforts. However, creating a successful data space is not a trivial activity and requires first carefully analysing the use cases and then facing major business, legal, operational, functional, technological and governance challenges.

This is why, as a support measure, the Data Spaces Support Centre (DSSC) has also been created to provide guidance, tools and resources to organisations interested in creating or participating in new data spaces. One of the first resources developed by the DSSC was the Data Spaces Starter Kit, the final version of which has recently been published and which provides a basic initial guide to understanding the basic elements of a data space and how to deal with the different challenges that arise when building them. We review below some of the main guidelines and recommendations offered by this starter kit.

The value of data spaces and their business models

Data spaces can be a real alternative to current unidirectional platforms, generating business models based on network effects that respond to both the supply and demand of data. Among the different business model patterns existing in data spaces, we can find:

• Cost sharing: all participants save time and money by sharing data for a common purpose, such as the smart network of connected SCSN providers.
• Joint innovation: innovation is only possible if data is shared as none of the participants have the complete data individually, e.g., the Eona-X platform for mobility, transport and tourism.
• Combined forces: different actors join forces to prevent a single actor from dominating a certain space, as in the EuPro Gigant manufacturing data network.
• Shared market: actors with common interests share data with each other in order to benefit each other, such as the Catena-X automotive network.
• Greater common good: when the public and private sectors share data for a social purpose, as for example in the mobility data space developed in Spain through the Mobility Working Group of the Gaia-X Hub.

The legal aspects

The legal side of data spaces can be a major challenge as they necessarily move between multiple legal frameworks and regulations, both national and European. To address this challenge, the Data Spaces Support Centre proposes the elaboration of a reference framework composed of three main instruments:

• The cross-cutting legal frameworks that will apply to all data spaces, such as contract law, data protection, intellectual property, competition or cybersecurity laws.
• The organisational aspects to consider when establishing models and mechanisms for data governance in each specific case.
• The contractual dimension to be taken into account when exchanging data and the agreements and terms of use to be established to make this possible.

Operational activities

The design of operational activities should address the arrangements that enable the organisational functioning of the data space, such as guidelines for onboarding new participants, decision-making and conflict resolution.

In addition, consideration should also be given to business operations, such as process streamlining and automation, marketing tasks and awareness-raising activities, which are also important components of operational activities.

Functionality of data spaces

Data spaces shall share a number of basic components (or building blocks) that will provide the minimum functionality expected of them, including at least the following elements:

• Interoperability: data models and formats, data exchange interfaces and origin and traceability.
• Trust: identity management, access and usage control and secure data exchanges.
• Data value: metadata and location protocols, data usage accounting, publishing and commercial services.
• Governance: cooperation and service level agreements and continuity models.

While these components can be expected to be common to all data spaces and provide similar functionality, each individual data space can make its own design choices in implementing and realising them.

Technological aspects

Data spaces are designed to be technology agnostic, i.e., defined solely in terms of functionality and with freedom in the choice of specific technologies for implementation. In this scenario it will be important to establish clear references in terms of:

• A formal basis of de facto standards to be followed.
• Specifications to serve as a reference for the different implementations.
• Open source implementations of the basic components carried out by other actors.

Governance of data spaces

Designing, implementing and maintaining a data space requires multiple organisations to collaborate together across different functions. This requires these entities to build a common vision of the key aspects of such collaboration through a governance framework.

This will require a joint design exercise through which stakeholders formalise a set of agreements defining key strategic and operational aspects, such as legal issues, description of the network of participants, code of conduct, terms and conditions of use, data space incorporation and membership agreements, and governance model.

In the near future the DSSC support centre will identify the core components of each of the dimensions described above and provide additional guidance for each of them through the development of a common blueprint for data spaces. So, if you are considering participating in any of the data spaces initiatives that are being launched, but are not quite sure where to start, then this basic starter kit will certainly be a valuable resource in understanding the basic concepts - along with the glossary that explains all the related terminology. Also, don't forget to subscribe to the support centre's newsletter to keep up to date with all the latest news, documentation and support services on offer.

Content prepared by Carlos Iglesias, Open data Researcher and consultant, World Wide Web Foundation.

The contents and views reflected in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author.

We live in the era of data, a lever of digital transformation and a strategic asset for innovation and the development of new technologies and services. Data, beyond the skills it brings to the generator and/or owner of the same, also has the peculiarity of being a non-rival asset. This means that it can be reused without detriment to the owner of the original rights, which makes it a resource with a high degree of scalability in its sharing and exploitation.

This possibility of non-rival sharing, in addition to opening potential new lines of business for the original owners, also carries a huge latent value for the development of new business models. And although sharing is not new, it is still very limited to niche contexts of sector specialisation, mediated either by trust between parties (usually forged in advance), or tedious and disciplined contractual conditions. This is why the innovative concept of data space has emerged, which in its most simplified sense is nothing more than the modelling of the general conditions under which to deploy a voluntary, sovereign and secure sharing of data. Once modelled, the prescription of considerations and methodologies (technological, organisational and operational) allows to make such sharing tangible based on peer-to-peer interactions, which together shape federated ecosystems of data sets and services.

Therefore, and given the distributed nature of data spaces (they are not a monolithic computer system, nor a centralised platform), an optimal way to approach their construction is through the creation and deployment of use cases. 

The Data Office has created this infographic of a 'Model of use case development within data spaces', with the objective of synthetically defining the phases of this iterative journey, which progressively shapes a data space. This model also serves as a general framework for other technical and methodological deliverables to come, such as the 'Use Case Feasibility Assessment Guide', or the 'Use Case Design Guide', elements with which to facilitate the implementation of practical (and scalable by design) data sharing experiences, a sine qua non condition to articulate the longed-for European single data market.

The challenge of building a data space

To make the process of developing a data space more accessible, we could assimilate the definition and construction of a use case as a construction project, in which from an initial business problem (needs or challenges, desires, or problems to be solved) a goal is reached in which value is added to the business, providing a solution to those initial needs. This infographic offers a synthesis of that journey.

Open data is the highest level of data sharing, as it is freely available and accessible to all. Properly processed and with full respect for the protection of personal data, it can help citizens, businesses and the public sector to make better decisions. 

Open data, together with other data, play a key role in the creation of data spaces, as referred to in the European Data Strategy. As stated in the document, the implementation of common and interoperable data spaces in strategic sectors is set up with the aim of "overcoming technical and legal barriers to data sharing between organisations, combining the necessary tools and infrastructures and addressing trust issues", for example through common standards developed for the space. 

In view of its relevance, the European Data Portal Academy has organised a series of webinars on data spaces. The first of these was held on 12 May in an online format and can be viewed here. In it, the new developments and progress being made regarding data spaces were mentioned, developments that in Spain are being carried out by the Data Office. 

The following training material is now available on data.europa academy:

• The recording of the session;
• The slide deck presented during the webinar.

As technology and connectivity have advanced in recent years, we have entered a new era in which data never sleeps and the amount of data circulating is greater than ever. Today, we could say that we live enclosed in a sphere surrounded by data and this has made us more and more dependent on it. On the other hand, we have also gradually become both producers and collectors of data.

The term datasphere has historically been used to define the set of all the information existing in digital spaces, also including other related concepts such as data flows and the platforms involved. But this concept has been developing and gaining more and more relevance in parallel with the growing weight of data in our society today, becoming an important concept in defining the future of the relationship between technology and society.

In the early days of the digital era we could consider that we lived in our own data bubbles that we fed little by little throughout our lives until we ended up totally immersed in the data of the online world, where the distinction between the real and the virtual is increasingly irrelevant. Today we live in a society that is interconnected through data and also through algorithms that link us and establish relationships between us. All that data we share more or less consciously no longer affects only ourselves as individuals, but can also have its effect on the rest of society, even in sometimes totally unpredictable ways - like a digital version of the butterfly effect.

Governance models that are based on working with data and its relationship to people, as if it were simply isolated instances that we can work with individually, will therefore no longer serve us well in this new environment.

The need for a systems-based approach to data

Today, that relatively simple concept of the data sphere has evolved into a complete, highly interconnected and complex digital ecosystem - made up of a wide range of data and technologies - that we inhabit and that affects the way we live our lives. It is a system in which data has value only in the context of its relationship with other data, with people and with the rules that govern those relationships.

Effective management of this new ecosystem will therefore require a better understanding of how the different components of the datasphere relate to each other, how data flows through these components, and what the appropriate rules will be needed to make this interconnected system work.

Data as an active component of the system

In a systems-based approach, data is considered as an active component within the ecosystem. This means that data is no longer just static information, but also has the capacity to influence the functioning of the ecosystem itself and will therefore be an additional component to be considered for the effective management of the ecosystem.

For example, data can be used to fine-tune the functioning of algorithms, improving the accuracy and efficiency of artificial intelligence and machine learning systems. Similarly, it could also be used to adjust the way decisions are made and policies implemented in different sectors, such as healthcare, education and security.

The data sphere and the evolution of data governance

It will therefore be necessary to explore new collective data governance frameworks that consider all elements of the ecosystem in their design, controlling how information is accessed, used and protected across the data sphere.

This could ensure that data is used securely, ethically and responsibly for the whole ecosystem and not just in individual or isolated cases. For example, some of the new data governance tools that have been experimented with for some time now and can help us to manage the data sphere collectively are data commons or digital data assets, data trusts, data cooperatives, data collaboratives or data collaborations, among others.

The future of the data sphere

The data sphere will continue to grow and evolve in the coming years, driven once again by new technological advances and the increasing connectivity and ubiquity of systems. It will be important for governments and organisations to keep abreast of these changes and adapt their data governance and management strategies accordingly through robust regulatory frameworks, accompanied by ethical guidelines and responsible practices that ensure that the benefits that data exploitation promises us can finally be realised while minimising risks.

In order to adequately address these challenges, and thus harness the full potential of the data sphere for positive change and for the common good, it will be essential to move away from thinking of data as something we can treat in isolation and to adopt a systems-based approach that recognises the interconnected nature of data and its impact on society as a whole.

Today, we could consider data spaces, which the European Commission has been developing for some time now as a key part of its new data strategy, as precisely a logical evolution of the data sphere concept adapted to the particular needs of our time and acting on all components of the ecosystem simultaneously: technical, functional, operational, legal and business.

Content prepared by Carlos Iglesias, Open data Researcher and consultant, World Wide Web Foundation.

The contents and views reflected in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author.

Last March 13th, a session of the Mobility Working Group of the Gaia-X Spain Hub was held, addressing the main challenges of the sector regarding projects related to data sharing and exploitation. The session, which took place at the Technical School of Civil Engineers of the Polytechnic University of Madrid, allowed attendees to learn firsthand about the main challenges of the sector, as well as some of the cutting-edge data projects in the mobility industry. The event was also a meeting point where ideas and reflections were shared among key actors in the sector.

The session began with a presentation from the Ministry of Transport, Mobility, and Urban Agenda, which highlighted the great importance of the National Access Point for Multimodal Transport, a European project that allows all information on passenger transport services in the country to be centralized in a single national point, with the aim of providing the foundation for driving the development of future mobility services.

Next, the Data Office of the State Secretariat for Artificial Intelligence (SEDIA) provided their vision of the Data Spaces development model and the design principles of such spaces aligned with European values. The importance of business networks based on data ecosystems, the intersectoral nature of the Mobility industry, and the significant role of open data in the sector's data spaces were highlighted.

Next, use cases were presented by Vicomtech, Amadeus, i2CAT, and the Alcobendas City Council, which allowed attendees to learn firsthand about some examples of technology use for data sharing projects (both data spaces and data lakes).

Finally, an initial study by the i2CAT Foundation, FACTUAL Consulting, and EIT Urban Mobility on the basic components of future mobility data spaces in Spain was presented. The study, which can be downloaded here in Spanish, addresses the potential of mobility data spaces for the Spanish market. Although it focuses on Spain, it takes a national and international research approach, framed in the European context to establish standards, develop the technical components that enable data spaces, the first flagship projects, and address common challenges to achieve milestones in sustainable mobility in Europe.

The presentations used in the session are available at this link.

The European Commission's 'European Data Strategy' states that the creation of a single market for shared data is key. In this strategy, the Commission has set as one of its main objectives the promotion of a data economy in line with European values of self-determination in data sharing (sovereignty), confidentiality, transparency, security and fair competition.

Common data spaces at European level are a fundamental resource in the data strategy because they act as enablers for driving the data economy. Indeed, pooling European data in key sectors, fostering data circulation and creating collective and interoperable data spaces are actions that contribute to the benefit of society.

Although data sharing environments have existed for a long time, the creation of data spaces that guarantee EU values and principles is an issue. Developing enabling legislative initiatives is not only a technological challenge, but also one of coordination among stakeholders, governance, adoption of standards and interoperability.

To address a challenge of this magnitude, the Commission plans to invest close to €8 billion by 2027 in the deployment of Europe's digital transformation. Part of the project includes the promotion of infrastructures, tools, architectures and data sharing mechanisms. For this strategy to succeed, a data space paradigm that is embedded in the industry needs to be developed, based on the fulfilment of European values. This data space paradigm will act as a de facto technology standard and will advance social awareness of the possibilities of data, which will enable the economic return on the investments required to create it.

In order to make the data space paradigm a reality, from the convergence of current initiatives, the European Commission has committed to the development of the Simpl project.

What exactly is Simpl?

Simpl is a €150 million project funded by the European Commission's Digital Europe programme with a three-year implementation period. Its objective is to provide society with middleware for building data ecosystems and cloud infrastructure services that support the European values of data sovereignty, privacy and fair markets.

The Simpl project consists of the delivery of 3 products:

• Simpl-Open: Middleware itself. This is a software solution to create ecosystems of data services (data and application sharing) and cloud infrastructure services (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, etc). This software must include agents enabling connection to the data space, operational services and brokerage services (catalogue, vocabulary, activity log, etc.). The result should be delivered under an open source licence and an attempt will be made to build an open source community to ensure its evolution.
• Simpl-Labs: Infrastructure for creating test bed environments so that interested users can test the latest version of the software in self-service mode. This environment is primarily intended for data space developers who want to do the appropriate technical testing prior to a deployment.
• Simpl-Live: Deployments of Simpl-open in production environments that will correspond to sectorial spaces contemplated in the Digital Europe programme. In particular, the deployment of data spaces managed by the European Commission itself (Health, Procurement, Language) is envisaged.

The project is practically oriented and aims to deliver results as soon as possible. It is therefore intended that, in addition to supplying the software, the contractor will provide a laboratory service for user testing. The company developing Simpl will also have to adapt the software for the deployment of common European data spaces foreseen in the Digital Europe programme.

The Gaia-X partnership is considered to be the closest in its objectives to the Simpl project, so the outcome of the project should strive for the reuse of the components made available by Gaia-X. 

For its part, the Data Space Support Center, which involves the main European initiatives for the creation of technological frameworks and standards for the construction of data spaces, will have to define the middleware requirements by means of specifications, architectural models and the selection of standards.

Simpl's preparatory work was completed in May 2022, setting out the scope and technical requirements of the project which have been the subject of detail in the currently open contractual process. The tender was launched on 24 February 2023. All information is available on TED eTendering, including how to ask questions about the tendering process. The deadline for applications is 24 April 2023 at 17:00 (Brussels time).

Simpl expects to have a minimum viable platform published in early 2024. In parallel, and as soon as possible, the open test environment (Simpl-Labs) will be made available for interested parties to experiment. This will be followed by the progressive integration of different use cases, helping to tailor Simpl to specific needs, with priority being given to cases otherwise funded under the Europe DIGITAL work programme.

In conclusion, Simpl is the European Commission's commitment to the deployment and interoperability of the different sectoral data space initiatives, ensuring alignment with the specifications and requirements emanating from the Data Space Support Center and, therefore, with the convergence process of the different European initiatives for the construction of data spaces (Gaia-X, IDSA, Fiware, BDVA).