Europa

The value of open satellite data in Europe

Satellites have become essential tools for understanding the planet and managing resources efficiently. The European Union (EU) has developed an advanced space infrastructure with the aim of providing real-time data on the environment, navigation and meteorology.

This satellite network is driven by four key programmes:.

• Copernicus: Earth observation, environmental monitoring and climate change.
• Galileo: high-precision satellite navigation, alternative to GPS.
• EGNOS: improved positioning accuracy, key to aviation and navigation.
• Meteosat: padvanced meteorological prediction and atmospheric monitoring.

Through these programmes, Europe not only ensures its technological independence, but also obtains data that is made available to citizens to drive strategic applications in agriculture, security, disaster management and urban planning.

In this article we will explore each programme, its satellites and their impact on society, including Spain''s role in each of them.

Copernicus: Europe''s Earth observation network

Copernicus is the EU Earth observation programme, managed by the European Commission with the technical support of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT).. It aims to provide free and open data about the planet to monitor climate change, manage natural resources and respond to emergencies.

The programme is structured into three main components:

1. Space component: consists of a series of satellites called Sentinel, developed specifically for the needs of Copernicus. These satellites provide high quality data for various applications, such as land, sea and atmospheric monitoring.
2. Component in situ: includes data collected through ground, air and sea stations. These data are essential to calibrate and validate the information obtained by the satellites, ensuring its accuracy and reliability.
3. Operational Services: offers six thematic services that transform collected data into useful information for users:
   • Atmospheric monitoring
   • Marine monitoring
   • Terrestrial monitoring
   • Climate change
   • Emergency management
   • Safety

These services provide information in areas such as air quality, ocean status, land use, climate trends, disaster response and security, supporting informed decision-making in Europe.

Spain has played a key role in the manufacture of components for the Sentinel satellites. Spanish companies have developed critical structures and sensors, and have contributed to the development of data processing software.  Spain is also leading projects such as the Atlantic Constellation, which will develop small satellites for climate and oceanic monitoring.

Sentinel satellite

Figure 1. Table satellites Sentinel. Source: own elaboration

Galileo: the european GPS

Galileo is the global navigation satellite system developed by the European Union, managed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and operated by the European Union Space Programme Agency (EUSPA). It aims to provide a reliable and highly accurate global positioning service, independent of other systems such as the US GPS, China''s Beidou or Russia''s GLONASS. Galileo is designed for civilian use and offers free and paid services for various sectors, including transport, telecommunications, energy and finance.

Spain has played a leading role in the Galileo programme. The European GNSS Service Centre (GSC), located in Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, acts as the main contact point for users of the Galileo system. In addition, Spanish industry has contributed to the development and manufacture of components for satellites and ground infrastructure, strengthening Spain''s position in the European aerospace sector.

Figure 2. Satellite Galileo. Source: own elaboration

EGNOS: improving the accuracy of GPS and Galileo

 The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) is the European satellite-based augmentation system (Satellite Based Augmentation System or SBAS) designed to improve the accuracy and reliability of global navigation satellite systems ( Global Navigation Satellite System, GNSS), such as GPS and, in the future, Galileo. EGNOS provides corrections and integrity data that allow users in Europe to determine their position with an accuracy of up to 1.5 metres, making it suitable for safety-critical applications such as aviation and maritime navigation.

Spain has played a leading role in the development and operation of EGNOS. Through ENAIRE, Spain hosts five RIMS Reference Stations located in Santiago, Palma, Malaga, Gran Canaria and La Palma. In addition, the Madrid Air Traffic Control Centre, located in Torrejón de Ardoz, hosts one of the EGNOS Mission Control Centres (MCC), operated by ENAIRE. The Spanish space industry has contributed significantly to the development of the system, with companies participating in studies for the next generation of EGNOS.

Figure 3. Table satellite EGNOS. Source: own elaboration

Meteosat: high precision weather forecasting

The Meteosat programme consists of a series of geostationary meteorological satellites initially developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and currently operated by the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). These satellites are positioned in geostationary orbit above the Earth''s equator, allowing continuous monitoring of weather conditions over Europe, Africa and the Atlantic Ocean. Its main function is to provide images and data to facilitate weather prediction and climate monitoring.

Spain has been an active participant in the Meteosat programme since its inception. Through the Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET), Spain contributes financially to EUMETSAT and participates in the programme''s decision-making and operations. In addition, the Spanish space industry has played a key role in the development of the Meteosat satellites. Spanish companies have been responsible for the design and supply of critical components for third-generation satellites, including scanning and calibration mechanisms.

Figure 4. Metosat satellite. Source: own elaboration

Access to the data of each programme

Each programme has different conditions and distribution platforms in terms of access to data:

• Copernicus: provides free and open data through various platforms.  Users can access satellite imagery and products through the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem, which offers search, download and processing tools. Data can also be obtained through APIs for integration into automated systems.
• Galileo: its open service (Open Service - OS) allows free use of the navigation signals for any user with a compatible receiver, free of charge. However, direct access to raw satellite data is not provided. For information on services and documentation, access is via the European GNSS Services Centre (GSC):
  • Galileo Portal.
  • Registration for access to the High Accuracy Service (HAS) (registration required).
• EGNOS: This system improves navigation accuracy with GNSS correction signals.  Data on service availability and status can be found on the EGNOS User Support platform..
• Meteosat: Meteosat satellite data are available through the EUMETSAT platform. There are different levels of access, including some free data and some subject to registration or payment.  For imagery and meteorological products you can access the EUMETSAT Data Centre..

In terms of open access, Copernicus is the only programme that offers open and unrestricted data. In contrast, Galileo and EGNOS provide free services, but not access to raw satellite data, while Meteosat requires registration and in some cases payment for access to specific data.

Conclusions

The Copernicus, Galileo, EGNOS and Meteosat programmes not only reinforce Europe''s space sovereignty, but also ensure access to strategic data essential for the management of the planet. Through them, Europe can monitor climate change, optimise global navigation, improve the accuracy of its positioning systems and strengthen its weather predictioncapabilities, ensuring more effective responses to environmental crises and emergencies.

Spain plays a fundamental role in this space infrastructure, not only with its aerospace industry, but also with its control centres and reference stations, consolidating itself as a key player in the development and operation of these systems.

Satellite imagery and data have evolved from scientific tools to become essential resources for security, environmental management and sustainable growth. In a world increasingly dependent on real-time information, access to this data is critical for climate resilience, spatial planning, sustainable agriculture and ecosystem protection.

The future of Earth observation and satellite navigation is constantly evolving, and Europe, with its advanced space programmes, is positioning itself as a leader in the exploration, analysis and management of the planet from space.

Access to this data allows researchers, businesses and governments to make more informed and effective decisions. With these systems, Europe and Spain guarantee their technological independence and strengthen their leadership in the space sector.

Ready to explore more? Access the links for each programme and discover how this data can transform our world.

Figure 5. Source: own elaboration

Content prepared by Mayte Toscano, Senior Consultant in Data Economy Technologies. The contents and points of view reflected in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author.

The European Green Deal (Green Deal) is the European Union's (EU) sustainable growth strategy, designed to drive a green transition that transforms Europe into a just and prosperous society with a modern and competitive economy. Within this strategy, initiatives such as Target 55 (Fit for 55), which aims to reduce EU emissions by at least 55% by 2030, stand out, and the Nature Restoration Regulation(, which sets binding targets to restore ecosystems, habitats and species.

 The European Data Strategy positions the EU as a leader in data-driven economies, promoting fundamental values such as privacy and sustainability.  This strategy envisages the creation of data spaces sectoral spaces to encourage the availability and sharing of data, promoting its re-use for the benefit of society and various sectors, including the environment.

This article looks at how environmental data spaces, driven by the European Data Strategy, play a key role in achieving the goals of the European Green Pact by fostering the innovative and collaborative use of data.

Green Pact data space from the European Data Strategy

In this context, the EU is promoting the Green Deal Data Space, designed to support the objectives of the Green Deal through the use of data. This data space will allow sharing data and using its full potential to address key environmental challenges in several areas: preservation of biodiversity, sustainable water management, the fight against climate change and the efficient use of natural resources, among others.

In this regard, the European Data Strategy highlights two initiatives:

• On the one hand, the GreenData4all initiative which carries out an update of the INSPIRE directive to enable greater exchange of environmental geospatial data between the public and private sectors, and their effective re-use, including open access to the general public.
•  On the other hand, the Destination Earth project proposes the creation of a digital twin of the Earth, using, among others, satellite data, which will allow the simulation of scenarios related to climate change, the management of natural resources and the prevention of natural disasters.

Preparatory actions for the development of the Green Pact data space

As part of its strategy for funding preparatory actions for the development of data spaces, the EU is funding the GREAT project (The Green Deal Data Space Foundation and its Community of Practice). This project focuses on laying the foundations for the development of the Green Deal data space through three strategic use cases: climate change mitigation and adaptation, zero pollution and biodiversity. A key aspect of GREAT is the identification and definition of a prioritised set of high-value environmental data (minimum but scalable set).  This approach directly connects this project to the concept of high-value data defined in the European Open Data Directive (i.e. data whose re-use generates not only a positive economic impact, but also social and environmental benefits)..  The high-value data defined in the Implementing Regulation include data related to Earth observation and the environment, including data obtained from satellites, ground sensors and in situ data.. These packages cover issues such as air quality, climate, emissions, biodiversity, noise, waste and water, all of which are related to the European Green Pact.

Differentiating aspects of the Green Pact data space

At this point, three differentiating aspects of the Green Pact data space can be highlighted.

• Firstly, its clearly multi-sectoral nature requires consideration of data from a wide variety of domains, each with their own specific regulatory frameworks and models.
• Secondly, its development is deeply linked to the territory, which implies the need to adopt a bottom-up approach (bottom-up) starting from concrete and local scenarios.
• Finally, it includes high-value data, which highlights the importance of active involvement of public administrations, as well as the collaboration of the private and third sectors to ensure its success and sustainability.

Therefore, the potential of environmental data will be significantly increased through European data spaces that are multi-sectoral, territorialised and with strong public sector involvement.

Development of environmental data spaces in HORIZON programme

In order to develop environmental data spaces taking into account the above considerations of both the European Data Strategy and the preparatory actions under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) programme, the EU is funding four projects:

• Urban Data Spaces for Green dEal (USAGE).. This project develops solutions to ensure that environmental data at the local level is useful for mitigating the effects of climate change. This includes the development of mechanisms to enable cities to generate data that meets the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) enabling its use for environmentally informed decision-making.
• All Data for Green Deal (AD4GD).. This project aims to propose a set of mechanisms to ensure that biodiversity, water quality and air quality data comply with the FAIR principles. They consider data from a variety of sources (satellite remote sensing, observation networks in situ, IoT-connected sensors, citizen science or socio-economic data).
• F.A.I.R. information cube (FAIRiCUBE). The purpose of this project is to create a platform that enables the reuse of biodiversity and climate data through the use of machine learning techniques. The aim is to enable public institutions that currently do not have easy access to these resources to improve their environmental policies and evidence-based decision-making (e.g. for the adaptation of cities to climate change).
• Biodiversity Building Blocks for Policy (B-Cubed).. This project aims to transform biodiversity monitoring into an agile process that generates more interoperable data. Biodiversity data from different sources, such as citizen science, museums, herbaria or research, are considered; as well as their consumption through business intelligence models, such as OLAP cubes, for informed decision-making in the generation of adequate public policies to counteract the global biodiversity crisis.

Environmental data spaces and research data

Finally, one source of data that can play a crucial role in achieving the objectives of the European Green Pact is scientific data emanating from research results.  In this context, the European Union's European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) initiativeis an essential tool. EOSC is an open, federated digital infrastructure designed to provide the European scientific community with access to high quality scientific data and services, i.e. a true research data space. This initiative aims to facilitate interoperability and data exchange in all fields of research by promoting the adoption of FAIR principles, and its federation with the Green Pact data space is therefore essential.

Conclusions

The EU Open Data Days 2025 is an essential event for all those interested in the world of open data and innovation in Europe and the world. This meeting, to be held on 19-20 March 2025, will bring together experts, practitioners, developers, researchers and policy makers to share knowledge, explore new opportunities and address the challenges facing the open data community.

The event, organised by the European Commission through data.europa.eu, aims to promote the re-use of open data. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the latest trends in the use of open data, discover new tools and discuss the policies and regulations that are shaping the digital landscape in Europe.

Where and when does it take place?

El evento se celebrará en el Centro Europeo de Convenciones de Luxemburgo, aunque también se podrá seguir online, con el siguiente horario:

• Wednesday 19 March 2025, from 13:30 to 18:30.
• Thursday 20 March 2025, from 9:00 to 15:30.

What issues will be addressed?

The agenda of the event is already available, where we find different themes, such as, for example:

• Success stories and best practices: the event will be attended by professionals working at the frontline of European data policy to share their experience. Among other issues, these experts will provide practical guidance on how to inventory and open up a country's public sector data, address the work involved in compiling high-value datasets or analyse perspectives on data reuse in business models. Good practices for quality metadata or improved data governance and interoperability will also be explained.
• Focus on the use of artificial intelligence (AI): open data offers an invaluable source for the development and advancement of AI. In addition, AI can optimise the location, management and use of this data, offering tools to help streamline processes and extract greater insight. In this regard, the event will address the potential of AI to transform open government data ecosystems, fostering innovation, improving governance and enhancing citizen participation. The managers of Norway's national data portal will tell how they use an AI-based search engine to improve data localisation. In addition, the advances in linguistic data spaces and their use in language modelling will be explained, and how to creatively combine open data for social impact will be explored.
• Learning about data visualisation: event attendees will be able to explore how data visualisation is transforming communication, policy making and citizen engagement. Through various cases (such as the family tree of 3,000 European royals or UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage relationships) it will show how iterative design processes can uncover hidden patterns in complex networks, providing insights into storytelling and data communication. It will also address how design elements such as colour, scale and focus influence the perception of data.
• Examples and use cases: multiple examples of concrete projects based on the reuse of data will be shown, in fields such as energy, urban development or the environment. Among the experiences that will be shared is a Spanish company, Tangible Data, which will tell how physical data sculptures turn complex datasets into accessible and engaging experiences.

These are just some of the topics to be addressed, but there will also be discussions on open science, the role of open data in transparency and accountability, etc.

Why are EU Open Data Days so important?

Access to open data has proven to be a powerful tool for improving decision-making, driving innovation and research, and improving the efficiency of organisations. At a time when digitisation is advancing rapidly, the importance of sharing and reusing data is becoming increasingly crucial to address global challenges such as climate change, public health or social justice.

The EU Open Data Days 2025 are an opportunity to explore how open data can be harnessed to build a more connected, innovative and participatory Europe.

In addition, for those who choose to attend in person, the event will also be an opportunity to establish contacts with other professionals and organisations in the sector, creating new collaborations that can lead to innovative projects.

How can I attend?

To attend in person, it is necessary to register through this link. However, registration is not required to attend the event online.

If you have any queries, an e-mail address has been set up to answer any questions you may have about the event: EU-Open-Data-Days@ec.europa.eu.

More information on the event website.

In February 2024, the European geospatial community took a major step forward with the first major update of the INSPIRE implementation schemes in almost a decade. This update, which generates version 5.0 of the schemas, introduces changes that affect the way spatial data are harmonised, transformed and published in Europe. For implementers, policy makers and data users, these changes present both challenges and opportunities.

In this article, we will explain what these changes entail, how they impact on data validation and what steps need to be taken to adapt to this new scenario.

What is INSPIRE and why does it matter?

The INSPIRE Directive (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe) determines the general rules for the establishment of an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community based on the Member States'' Infrastructures. Adopted by the European Parliament and the Council on March 14, 2007 (Directive 2007/2/EC), it is designed to achieve these objectives by ensuring that spatial information is consistent and accessible across EU member countries.

What changes with the 5.0 upgrade?

The transition to version 5.0 brings significant modifications, some of which are not backwards compatible. Among the most notable changes are:

• Removal of mandatory properties: this simplifies data models, but requires implementers to review their previous configurations and adjust the data to comply with the new rules.
• Renaming of types and properties: with the update of the INSPIRE schemas to version 5.0, some element names and definitions have changed. This means that data that were harmonised following the 4.x schemas no longer exactly match the new specifications. In order to keep these data compliant with current standards, it is necessary to re-transform them using up-to-date tools. This re-transformation ensures that data continues to comply with INSPIRE standards and can be shared and used seamlessly across Europe. The complete table with these updates is as follows: 

Figure 1. Latest INSPIRE updates.

• Major changes in version 4.0: although normally a major change in a schema would lead to a new major version (e.g. from 4.0 to 5.0), some INSPIRE schemas in version 4.0 have received significant updates without changing version number. A notable example of this is the Planned Land Use (PLU) scheme. These updates imply that projects and services using the PLU scheme in version 4.0 must be reviewed and modified to adapt to the new specifications. This is particularly relevant for those working with XPlanung, a standard used in urban and land use planning in some European countries. The changes made to the PLU scheme oblige implementers to update their transformation projects and republish data to ensure that they comply with the new INSPIRE rules.

Impact on validation and monitoring

Updating affects not only how data is structured, but also how it is validated. The official INSPIRE tools, such as the Validador, have incorporated the new versions of the schemas, which generates different validation scenarios:

• Data conforming to previous versions: data harmonised to version 4.x can still pass basic validation tests, but may fail specific tests requiring the use of the updated schemas.
• Specific tests for updated themes: some themes, such as Protected Sites, require data to follow the most recent versions of the schemas to pass all compliance tests.

In addition, the Joint Research Center (JRC) has indicated that these updated versions will be used in official INSPIRE monitoring from 2025 onwards, underlining the importance of adapting as soon as possible.

What does this mean for consumers?

To ensure that data conforms to the latest versions of the schemas and can be used in European systems, it is essential to take concrete steps:

• If you are publishing new datasets: use the updated versions of the schemas from the beginning.
• If you are working with existing data: update the schemas of your datasets to reflect the changes you have made. This may involve adjusting types of features and making new transformations.
• Publishing services: If your data is already published, you will need to re-transform and republish it to ensure it conforms to the new specifications.

These actions are essential not only to comply with INSPIRE standards, but also to ensure long-term data interoperability.

Conclusion

The update to version 5.0 of the INSPIRE schemas represents a technical challenge, but also an opportunity to improve the interoperability and usability of spatial data in Europe. Adopting these modifications not only ensures regulatory compliance, but also positions implementers as leaders in the modernisation of spatial data infrastructure.

Although the updates may seem complex, they have a clear purpose: to strengthen the interoperability of spatial data in Europe. With better harmonised data and updated tools, it will be easier for governments, businesses and organisations to collaborate and make informed decisions on crucial issues such as sustainability, land management and climate change.

Furthermore, these improvements reinforce INSPIRE''s commitment to technological innovation, making European spatial data more accessible, useful and relevant in an increasingly interconnected world.

Content prepared by Mayte Toscano, Senior Consultant in Data Economy Technologies. The contents and points of view reflected in this publication are the sole responsibility of its author.

One of the main requirements of the digital transformation of the public sector concerns the existence of optimal interoperability conditions for data sharing. This is an essential premise from a number of points of view, in particular as regards multi-entity actions and procedures. In particular, interoperability allows:

• The interconnection of the electronic registers powers and the filing of documents with public entities. 
• The exchange of data, documents and files in the exercise of the respective competences, which is essential for administrative simplification and, in particular, to guarantee the right not to submit documents already in the possession of the public administrations;
• The development of advanced and personalised services based on the exchange of information, such as the citizen folder.

Interoperability also plays an important role in facilitating the integration of different open data sources for re-use, hence there is even a specific technical standard. It aims to establish common conditions to "facilitate and guarantee the process of re-use of public information from public administrations, ensuring the persistence of the information, the use of formats, as well as the appropriate terms and conditions of use".

Interoperability at European level

Interoperability is therefore a premise for facilitating relations between different entities, which is of particular importance in the European context if we take into account that legal relations will often be between different states. This is therefore a great challenge for the promotion of cross-border digital public services and, consequently, for the enforcement of essential rights and values in the European Union linked to the free movement of persons.

For this reason, the adoption of a regulatory framework to facilitate cross-border data exchange has been promoted to ensure the proper functioning of digital public services at European level. This is Regulation (EU) 2024/903 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 March 2024 laying down measures for a high level of public sector interoperability across the Union (known as the Interoperable Europe Act), which is directly applicable across the European Union from 12 July 2024.

This regulation aims to provide the right conditions to facilitate cross-border interoperability, which requires an advanced approach to the establishment and management of legal, organisational, semantic and technical requirements. In particular, trans-European digital public services, i.e. those requiring interaction across Member States' borders through their network and information systems, will be affected. This would be the case, for example, for the change of residence to work or study in another Member State, the recognition of academic diplomas or professional qualifications, access to health and social security data or, as regards legal persons, the exchange of tax data or information necessary to participate in a tendering procedure in the field of public procurement. In short, "all those services that apply the "once-only" principle for accessing and exchanging cross-border data".

What are the main measures it envisages?

• Interoperability assessment: prior to decisions on conditions for trans-European digital public services by EU entities or public sector bodies of States, the Regulation requires them to carry out an interoperability assessment, although this will only be mandatory from January 2025. The result of this evaluation shall be published on an official website in a machine-readable format that allows for automatic translation.
• Sharing of interoperability solutions: the above mentioned entities shall be obliged to share interoperability solutions supporting a trans-European digital public service, including technical documentation and source code, as well as references to open standards or technical specifications used. However, there are some limits to this obligation, such as in cases where there are intellectual property rights in favour of third parties. In addition, these solutions will be published on the Interoperable Europe Portal, which will replace the current Joinup portal.
• Enabling of sandboxes: one of the main novelties consists of enabling public bodies to proceed with the creation of sandboxes or controlled interoperability test areas which, in the case of processing personal data, will be managed under the supervision of the corresponding supervisory authority competent to do so. The aim of this figure is to encourage innovation and facilitate cooperation based on the requirements of legal certainty, thereby promoting the development of interoperability solutions based on a better understanding of the opportunities and obstacles that may arise.
• Creation of a governance committee: as regards governance, it is envisaged that a committee will be set up comprising representatives of each of the States and of the Commission, which will be responsible for chairing it. Its main functions include establishing the criteria for interoperability assessment, facilitating the sharing of interoperability solutions, supervising their consistency and developing the European Interoperability Framework, among others. For their part, Member States will have to designate at least one competent authority for the implementation of the Regulation by 12 January 2025, which will act as a single point of contact in case there are several. Its main tasks will be to coordinate the implementation of the Act, to support public bodies in carrying out the assessment and, inter alia, to promote the re-use of interoperability solutions.

The exchange of data between public bodies throughout the European Union and its Member States with full legal guarantees is an essential priority for the effective exercise of their competences and, therefore, for ensuring efficiency in carrying out formalities from the point of view of good administration. The new Interoperable European Regulation is an important step forward in the regulatory framework to further this objective, but the regulation needs to be complemented by a paradigm shift in administrative practice. In this respect, it is essential to make a firm commitment to a document management model based mainly on data, which also makes it easier to deal with regulatory compliance with the regulation on personal data protection, and is also fully coherent with the approach and solutions promoted by the Data Governance Regulation when promoting the re-use of the information generated by public entities in the exercise of their functions.

Content prepared by Julián Valero, Professor at the University of Murcia and Coordinator of the Research Group "Innovation, Law and Technology" (iDerTec). The contents and points of view reflected in this publication are the sole responsibility of its author.

Today's climate crisis and environmental challenges demand innovative and effective responses. In this context, the European Commission's Destination Earth (DestinE) initiative is a pioneering project that aims to develop a highly accurate digital model of our planet.

Through this digital twin of the Earth it will be possible to monitor and prevent potential natural disasters, adapt sustainability strategies and coordinate humanitarian efforts, among other functions. In this post, we analyse what the project consists of and the state of development of the project.

Features and components of Destination Earth

Aligned with the European Green Pact and the Digital Europe Strategy, Destination Earth integrates digital modeling and climate science to provide a tool that is useful in addressing environmental challenges. To this end, it has a focus on accuracy, local detail and speed of access to information.

In general, the tool allows:

• Monitor and simulate Earth system developments, including land, sea, atmosphere and biosphere, as well as human interventions.
• To anticipate environmental disasters and socio-economic crises, thus enabling the safeguarding of lives and the prevention of significant economic downturns.
• Generate and test scenarios that promote more sustainable development in the future.

To do this, DestinE is subdivided into three main components :

• Data lake:
  
  • What is it? A centralised repository to store data from a variety of sources, such as the European Space Agency (ESA), EUMETSAT and Copernicus, as well as from the new digital twins.
  • What does it provide? This infrastructure enables the discovery and access to data, as well as the processing of large volumes of information in the cloud.

·The DestinE Platform:.

• What is it? A digital ecosystem that integrates services, data-driven decision-making tools and an open, flexible and secure cloud computing infrastructure.
• What does it provide? Users have access to thematic information, models, simulations, forecasts and visualisations that will facilitate a deeper understanding of the Earth system.

• Digital cufflinks and engineering:
  
  • What are they? There are several digital replicas covering different aspects of the Earth system. The first two are already developed, one on climate change adaptation and the other on extreme weather events.
  • WHAT DOES IT PROVIDE? These twins offer multi-decadal simulations (temperature variation) and high-resolution forecasts.

Discover the services and contribute to improve DestinE

The DestinE platform offers a collection of applications and use cases developed within the framework of the initiative, for example:

• Digital twin of tourism (Beta): it allows to review and anticipate the viability of tourism activities according to the environmental and meteorological conditions of its territory.
• VizLab: offers an intuitive graphical user interface and advanced 3D rendering technologies to provide a storytelling experience by making complex datasets accessible and understandable to a wide audience..
• miniDEA: is an interactive and easy-to-use DEA-based web visualisation app for previewing DestinE data.
• GeoAI: is a geospatial AI platform for Earth observation use cases.
• Global Fish Tracking System (GFTS): is a project to help obtain accurate information on fish stocks in order to develop evidence-based conservation policies.
• More resilient urban planning: is a solution that provides a heat stress index that allows urban planners to understand best practices for adapting to extreme temperatures in urban environments..
• Danube Delta Water Reserve Monitoring: is a comprehensive and accurate analysis based on the DestinE data lake to inform conservation efforts in the Danube Delta, one of the most biodiverse regions in Europe.

Since October this year, the DestinE platform has been accepting registrations, a possibility that allows you to explore the full potential of the tool and access exclusive resources. This option serves to record feedback and improve the project system.

To become a user and be able to generate services, you must follow these steps..

Project roadmap:

The European Union sets out a series of time-bound milestones that will mark the development of the initiative:

• 2022 - Official launch of the project.
• 2023 - Start of development of the main components.
• 2024 - Development of all system components. Implementation of the DestinE platform and data lake. Demonstration.
• 2026 - Enhancement of the DestinE system, integration of additional digital twins and related services.
• 2030 - Full digital replica of the Earth.

Destination Earth not only represents a technological breakthrough, but is also a powerful tool for sustainability and resilience in the face of climate challenges. By providing accurate and accessible data, DestinE enables data-driven decision-making and the creation of effective adaptation and mitigation strategies.

The 2024 Best Cases Awards of the Public Sector Tech Watch observatory now have finalists. These awards seek to highlight solutions that use emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence or blockchain, in public administrations, through two categories:

• Solutions to improve the public services offered to citizens (Government-to-Citizen or G2C).
• Solutions to improve the internal processes of the administrations themselves (Government-to-Government or G2G).

The awards are intended to create a mechanism for sharing the best experiences on the use of emerging technologies in the public sector and thus give visibility to the most innovative administrations in Europe.

Almost 60% of the finalist solutions are Spanish.

In total, 32 proposals have been received, 14 of which have been pre-selected in a preliminary evaluation. Of these, more than half are solutions from Spanish organisations. Specifically, nine finalists have been shortlisted for the G2G category -five of them Spanish- and five for G2C -three of them linked to our country-.The following is a summary of what these Spanish solutions consist of.

Solutions to improve the internal processes of the administrations themselves.

• Innovation in local government: digital transformation and GeoAI for data management (Alicante Provincial Council).

Suma Gestión Tributaria, of the Diputación de Alicante, is the agency in charge of managing and collecting the municipal taxes of the city councils of its province. To optimise this task, they have developed a solution that combines geographic information systems and artificial intelligence (machine learning and deep learning) to improve training in detection of properties that do not pay taxes. This solution collects data from multiple administrations and entities in order to avoid delays in the collection of municipalities.

• Regional inspector of public infrastructures: monitoring of construction sites (Provincial Council of Bizkaia and Interbiak).

The autonomous road inspector and autonomous urban inspector help public administrations to automatically monitor roads. These solutions, which can be installed in any vehicle, use artificial or computer vision techniques along with information from sensors to automatically check the condition of traffic signs, road markings, protective barriers, etc. They also perform early forecasting of pavement degradation, monitor construction sites and generate alerts for hazards such as possible landslides.

• Application of drones for the transport of biological samples (Centre for Telecommunications and Information Technologies -CTTI-, Generalitat de Catalunya).

This pilot project implements and evaluates a health transport route in the Girona health region. Its aim is to transport biological samples (blood and urine) between a primary health centre and a hospital using drones. As a result, the journey time has been reduced from 20 minutes with ground transport to seven minutes with the use of drones. This has improved the quality of the samples transported, increased flexibility in scheduling transport times and reduced environmental impact.

• Robotic automation of processes in the administration of justice (Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts).

Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts has implemented a solution for the robotisation of administrative processes in order to streamline routine, repetitive and low-risk work. To date, more than 25 process automation lines have been implemented, including the automatic cancellation of criminal records, nationality applications, automatic issuance of life insurance certificates, etc. As a result, it is estimated that more than 500,000 working hourshave been saved.

• Artificial intelligence in the processing of official publications (Official Gazette of the Province of Barcelona and Official Documentation and Publications Service, Barcelona Provincial Council).

CIDO (Official Information and Documentation Search Engine) has implemented an AI system that automatically generates summaries of official publications of the public administrations of Barcelona. Using supervised machine learning and neural networkstechniques, the system generates summaries of up to 100 words for publications in Catalan or Spanish. The tool allows the recording of manual modifications to improve accuracy.

Solutions to improve the public services offered to citizens

• Virtual Desk of Digital Immediacy: bringing Justice closer to citizens through digitalisation (Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts).

The Virtual Digital Immediacy Desktop (EVID) allows remote hearings with full guarantees of legal certainty using blockchain technologies. The solution integrates the convening of the hearing, the provision of documentation, the identification of the participants, the acceptance of consents, the generation of the document justifying the action carried out, the signing of the document and the recording of the session. In this way, legal acts can be carried out from anywhere, without the need to travel and in a simple way, making justice more inclusive, accessible and environmentally friendly. By the end of June 2024, more than 370,000 virtual sessions had been held through EVID.

• Application of Generative AI to make it easier for citizens to understand legal texts (Entitat Autònoma del Diari Oficial i Publicacions -EADOP-, Generalitat de Catalunya).

Legal language is often a barrier that prevents citizens from easily understanding legal texts. To remove this obstacle, the Government is making available to users of the Legal Portal of Catalonia and to the general public the summaries of Catalan law in simple language obtained from generative artificial intelligence. The aim is to have summaries of the more than 14,000 14,000 existing regulatory provisions adapted to clear communication available by the end of the year. The abstracts will be published in Catalan and Spanish, with the prospect of also offering a version in Aranesein the future.

• Emi - Intelligent Employment (Consellería de Emprego, Comercio e Emigración de la Xunta de Galicia).

Emi, Intelligent Employment is an artificial intelligence and big data tool that helps the offices of the Public Employment Service of Galicia to orient unemployed people towards the skills required by the labour market, according to their abilities. AI models make six-month projections of contracts for a particular occupation for a chosen geographical area. In addition, they allow estimating the probability of finding employment for individuals in the coming months.

You can see all the solutions presented here. The winners will be announced at the final event on 28 November. The ceremony takes place in Brussels, but can also be followed online. To do so, you need to register here.

Public Sector Tech Watch: an observatory to inspire new projects

Public Sector Tech Watch (PSTW), managed by the European Commission, is positioned as a "one-stop shop" for all those interested - public sector, policy makers, private companies, academia, etc. - in the latest technological developments to improve public sector performance and service delivery. For this purpose, it has several sections where the following information of interest is displayed:

• Cases: contains examples of how innovative technologies and their associated data are used by public sector organisations in Europe.
• Stories: presents testimonials to show the challenges faced by European administrations in implementing technological solutions.

If you know of a case of interest that is not currently monitored by PSTW, you can register it here. Successful cases are reviewed and evaluated before being included in the database.

As part of the European Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the European data portal, data.europa.eu, has organized a webinar focused on the protection of open data.This event comes at a critical time when organisations, especially in the public sector, face the challenge of balancing data transparency and accessibility with the need to protect against cyber threats.

The online seminar was attended by experts in the field of cybersecurity and data protection, both from the private and public sector.

The expert panel addressed the importance of open data for government transparency and innovation, as well as emerging risks related to data breaches, privacy issues and other cybersecurity threats. Data providers, particularly in the public sector, must manage this paradox of making data accessible while ensuring its protection against malicious use.

During the event, a number of malicious tactics used by some actors to compromise the security of open data were identified. These tactics can occur both before and after publication. Knowing about them is the first step in preventing and counteracting them.

Pre-publication threats

Before data is made publicly available, it may be subject to the following threats:

• Supply chain attacks: attackers can sneak malicious code into open data projects, such as commonly used libraries (Pandas, Numpy or visualisation modules), by exploiting the trust placed in these resources. This technique allows attackers to compromise larger systems and collect sensitive information in a gradual and difficult to detect manner.

• Manipulation of information: data may be deliberately altered to present a false or misleading picture. This may include altering numerical values, distorting trends or creating false narratives. These actions undermine the credibility of open data sources and can have significant consequences, especially in contexts where data is used to make important decisions.
• Envenenamiento de datos (data poisoning): attackers can inject misleading or incorrect data into datasets, especially those used for training AI models. This can result in models that produce inaccurate or biased results, leading to operational failures or poor business decisions.

Post-publication threats

Once data has been published, it remains vulnerable to a variety of attacks:

• Compromise data integrity: attackers can modify published data, altering files, databases or even data transmission. These actions can lead to erroneous conclusions and decisions based on false information.

• Re-identification and breach of privacy: data sets, even if anonymised, can be combined with other sources of information to reveal the identity of individuals. This practice, known as 're-identification', allows attackers to reconstruct detailed profiles of individuals from seemingly anonymous data. This represents a serious violation of privacy and may expose individuals to risks such as fraud or discrimination.
• Sensitive data leakage: open data initiatives may accidentally expose sensitive information such as medical records, personally identifiable information (emails, names, locations) or employment data. This information can be sold on illicit markets such as the dark web, or used to commit identity fraud or discrimination.

Following on from these threats, the webinar presented a case study on how cyber disinformation exploited open data during the energy and political crisis associated with the Ukraine war in 2022. Attackers manipulated data, generated false content with artificial intelligence and amplified misinformation on social media to create confusion and destabilise markets.

Figure 1. Slide from the webinar presentation "Safeguarding open data: cybersecurity essentials and skills for data providers".

Data protection and data governance strategies

In this context, the implementation of a robust governance structure emerges as a fundamental element for the protection of open data. This framework should incorporate rigorous quality management to ensure accuracy and consistency of data, together with effective updating and correction procedures. Security controls should be comprehensive, including:

• Technical protection measures.
• Integrity check procedures.
• Access and modification monitoring systems.

Risk assessment and risk management requires a systematic approach starting with a thorough identification of sensitive and critical data. This involves not only the cataloguing of critical information, but also a detailed assessment of its sensitivity and strategic value. A crucial aspect is the identification and exclusion of personal data that could allow the identification of individuals, implementing robust anonymisation techniques where necessary.

For effective protection, organisations must conduct comprehensive risk analyses to identify potential vulnerabilities in their data management systems and processes. These analyses should lead to the implementation of robust security controls tailored to the specific needs of each dataset. In this regard, the implementation of data sharing agreements establishes clear and specific terms for the exchange of information with other organisations, ensuring that all parties understand their data protection responsibilities.

Experts stressed that data governance must be structured through well-defined policies and procedures that ensure effective and secure information management. This includes the establishment of clear roles and responsibilities, transparent decision-making processes and monitoring and control mechanisms. Mitigation procedures must be equally robust, including well-defined response protocols, effective preventive measures and continuous updating of protection strategies.

In addition, it is essential to maintain a proactive approach to security management. A strategy that anticipates potential threats and adapts protection measures as the risk landscape evolves. Ongoing staff training and regular updating of policies and procedures are key elements in maintaining the effectiveness of these protection strategies. All this must be done while maintaining a balance between the need for protection and the fundamental purpose of open data: its accessibility and usefulness to the public.

Legal aspects and compliance

In addition, the webinar explained the legal and regulatory framework surrounding open data. A crucial point was the distinction between anonymization and pseudo-anonymization in the context of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).

On the one hand, anonymised data are not considered personal data under the GDPR, because it is impossible to identify individuals. However, pseudo-anonymisation retains the possibility of re-identification if combined with additional information. This distinction is crucial for organisations handling open data, as it determines which data can be freely published and which require additional protections.

To illustrate the risks of inadequate anonymisation, the webinar presented the Netflix case in 2006, when the company published a supposedly anonymised dataset to improve its recommendation algorithm. However, researchers were able to "re-identify" specific users by combining this data with publicly available information on IMDb. This case demonstrates how the combination of different datasets can compromise privacy even when anonymisation measures have been taken.

In general terms, the role of the Data Governance Act in providing a horizontal governance framework for data spaces was highlighted, establishing the need to share information in a controlled manner and in accordance with applicable policies and laws. The Data Governance Regulation is particularly relevant to ensure that data protection, cybersecurity and intellectual property rights are respected in the context of open data.

The role of AI and cybersecurity in data security

The conclusions of the webinar focused on several key issues for the future of open data. A key element was the discussion on the role of artificial intelligence and its impact on data security. It highlighted how AI can act as a cyber threat multiplier, facilitating the creation of misinformation and the misuse of open data.

On the other hand, the importance of implementing Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs ) as fundamental tools to protect data was emphasized. These include anonymisation and pseudo-anonymisation techniques, data masking, privacy-preserving computing and various encryption mechanisms. However, it was stressed that it is not enough to implement these technologies in isolation, but that they require a comprehensive engineering approach that considers their correct implementation, configuration and maintenance.

The importance of training

The webinar also emphasised the critical importance of developing specific cybersecurity skills. ENISA's cyber skills framework, presented during the session, identifies twelve key professional profiles, including the Cybersecurity Policy and Legal Compliance Officer, the Cybersecurity Implementer and the Cybersecurity Risk Manager. These profiles are essential to address today's challenges in open data protection.

Figure 2. Slide presentation of the webinar " Safeguarding open data: cybersecurity essentials and skills for data providers".

In summary, a key recommendation that emerged from the webinar was the need for organisations to take a more proactive approach to open data management. This includes the implementation of regular impact assessments, the development of specific technical competencies and the continuous updating of security protocols. The importance of maintaining transparency and public confidence while implementing these security measures was also emphasised.

Today, digital technologies are revolutionising various sectors, including the construction sector, driven by the European Digital Strategy which not only promotes innovation and the adoption of digital technologies, but also the use and generation of potentially open data. The incorporation of advanced technologies has fostered a significant transformation in construction project management, making information more accessible and transparent to all stakeholders.

One of the key elements in this transformation are Digital Building Permits and Digital Building Logs, concepts that are improving the efficiency of administrative processes and the execution of construction projects, and which can have a significant impact on the generation and management of data in the municipalities that adopt them.

 Digital Building Permits (DBP) and Digital Building Logs (DBL) not only generate key information on infrastructure planning, execution and maintenance, but also make this data accessible to the public and other stakeholders. The availability of this open data enables advanced analysis, academic research, and the development of innovative solutions for building more sustainable and safer infrastructure.

What is the Digital Building Permit?

The Digital Building Permit is the digitalisation of traditional building permit processes. Traditionally, this process was manual, involving extensive exchange of physical documents and coordination between multiple stakeholders. With digitisation, this procedure is simplified and made more efficient, allowing for a faster, more transparent and less error-prone review. Furthermore, thanks to this digitisation, large amounts of valuable data are proactively generated that not only optimise the process, but can also be used to improve transparency and carry out research in the sector. This data can be harnessed for advanced analytics, contributing to the development of smarter and more sustainable infrastructures. It also facilitates the integration of technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and digital twins, which are essential for the development of smart infrastructures.

• BIM allows the creation of detailed digital representations of infrastructure, incorporating precise information about each building component. This digital model facilitates not only the design, but also the management and maintenance of the building throughout its life cycle. In Spain, the legislation related to the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) is mainly governed by the Law 9/2017 on Public Sector Contracts. This law establishes the possibility to require the use of BIM in public works projects. This regulation aims to improve efficiency, transparency and sustainability in the procurement and execution of public works and services in Spain.
•  Digital twins are virtual replicas of physical infrastructures that allow the behaviour of a building to be simulated and analysed in real time thanks to the data generated. This data is not only crucial for the functioning of the digital twin, but can also be used as open data for research, public policy improvement and transparency in the management of infrastructures. These digital twins are essential to anticipate problems before they occur, optimise energy efficiency and proactively manage maintenance.

Together, these technologies can not only streamline the permitting process, but also ensure that buildings are safer, more sustainable and aligned with current regulations, promoting the development of smart infrastructure in an increasingly digitised environment.

What is a Digital Building Log?

The Digital Building Log is a tool for keeping a detailed and digitised record of all activities, decisions and modifications made during the life of a construction project. This register includes data on permits issued, inspections carried out, design changes, and any other relevant interventions. It functions as a digital logbook that provides a transparent and traceable overview of the entire construction process.

This approach not only improves transparency and traceability, but also facilitates monitoring and compliance by keeping an up-to-date register accessible to all stakeholders.

Figure 1. What are Digital Building Permits and Digital Building Logs? Own elaboration.  

Key Projects and Objectives in the Sector

Several European projects are incorporating Digital Building Permits and Digital Building Logs as part of their strategy to modernise the construction sector. Some of the most innovative projects in this field are highlighted below:

ACCORD

The ACCORD Project (2022-2025) is an European initiative that aims to transform the process of obtaining and managing construction permits through digitisation. ACCORD, which stands for"Automated Compliance Checking and Orchestration of Building Projects", aims to develop a semantic framework to automatically check compliance, improve efficiency and ensure transparency in the building sector. In addition, ACCORD will develop:

• A rule formalisation tool based on semantic web technologies.
• A semantic rules database.
• Microservices for compliance verification in construction.
• A set of open and standardised APIs to enable integrated data flow between building permit, compliance and other information services.

Figure 2. ACCORD project process.Source: Proyecto ACCORD.

The ACCORD Project focuses on several demonstrations in various European countries, each with a specific focus facilitated by the analysis and use of the data:

• In Estonia and Finland, ACCORD focuses on improving accessibility and safety in urban spaces through the automation of building permits. In Estonia, work is being done on automatic verification of compliance with planning and zoning regulations, while in Finland, the focus is on developing healthy and safe urban spaces by digitising the permitting process and integrating urban data.
• In Germany, ACCORD focuses on automated verification for land use permits and green building certification. The project aims to automate the verification of regulatory compliance in these areas by integrating micro-services that automatically verify whether construction projects comply with sustainability and land use regulations before permits are issued.
• In the UK, ACCORD focuses on ensuring the design integrity of structural components of steel modular homes by using BIM modelling and finite element analysis (FEA). This approach allows automatic verification of the compliance of structural components with safety and design standards prior to their implementation in construction. The project facilitates the early detection of potential structural failures, thus improving safety and efficiency in the construction process.
• In Spain, ACCORD focuses on automating urban planning compliance in Malgrat de Martown council  using BIM and open cadastral data. The aim is to improve efficiency in the design and construction phase, ensuring that projects comply with local regulations before they start. This includes automatic verification of urban regulations to facilitate faster and more accurate building permits.

CHEK

The CHEK Project (2022-2025) which stands for"Change Toolkit for Digital Building Permit" is a European initiative that aims to remove the barriers municipalities face in adopting the digitisation of building permit management processes.

CHEK will develop scalable solutions including open standards and interoperability (geospatial and BIM), educational tools to bridge knowledge gaps and new technologies for permit digitisation and automatic compliance verification. The objective is to align digital technologies with municipal-level administrative processing, improve accuracy and efficiency, and demonstrate scalability in European urban areas, achieving a tRL 7E technology maturity level.

Figure 3. CHEK Project Process. Source: Proyecto CHEK.

This requires:

1. Adapt available digital technologies to municipal processes, enabling new methods and business models.
2. Develop open data standards, including building information modelling (BIM), 3D urban modelling and reciprocal integration (GeoBIM).
3. Improve training for public employees and users.
4. Improving, adapting and integrating technology.
5. Realise and demonstrate scalability.

CHEK will provide a set of methodological and technological tools to fully digitise building permits and partially automate building design compliance checks, leading to a 60% efficiency improvement and the adoption of DBP by 85% of European municipalities.

The future of construction and the contribution to open data

The implementation of Digital Building Permits and Digital Building Logs is transforming the building landscape. As these tools are integrated into construction processes, future scenarios on the horizon include:

• Digitised construction: In the not too distant future, construction projects could be managed entirely digitally, from permit applications to ongoing project monitoring. This will eliminate the need for physical documents and significantly reduce errors and delays.
• Real-time digital cufflinks: Digital Building Logs will feed digital twins in real time, enabling continuous and predictive monitoring of projects. This will allow developers and regulators to anticipate problems before they occur and make informed decisions quickly.
• Global data interoperability: With the advancement of data spaces, building systems are expected to become globally interoperable. This will facilitate international collaboration and allow standards and best practices to be widely shared and adopted.

Digital Building Permits and Digital Building Logs are not only tools for process optimisation in the building sector, but also vehicles for the creation of open data that can be used by a wide range of actors. The implementation of these systems not only generates technical data on the progress of works, but also provides data that can be reused by authorities, developers and citizens, thus fostering an open collaborative environment. This data can be used to improve urban analysis, assist in public infrastructure planning and optimise monitoring and transparency in project implementation.

The use of open data through these platforms also facilitates the development of innovative applications and technological services that improve efficiency, promote sustainability and contribute to more efficient resource management in cities. Such open data can, for example, allow citizens to access information on building conditions in their area, while giving governments a clearer, real-time view of how projects are developing, enabling data-driven decision-making.

Projects such as ACCORD and CHECK demonstrate how these technologies can integrate digitalisation, automation and open data to transform the European construction sector.

Content prepared by Mayte Toscano, Senior Consultant in Data Economy Technologies. The contents and points of view reflected in this publication are the sole responsibility of its author.

In an increasingly information-driven world, open data is transforming the way we understand and shape our societies. This data are a valuable source of knowledge that also helps to drive research, promote technological advances and improve policy decision-making.

In this context, the Publications Office of the European Union organises the annual EU Open Data Days to highlight the role of open data in European society and all the new developments. The next edition will take place on 19-20 March 2025 at the European Conference Centre Luxembourg (ECCL) and online.

This event, organised by the data.europa.eu, europe's open data portal, will bring together data providers, enthusiasts and users from all over the world, and will be a unique opportunity to explore the potential of open data in various sectors. From success stories to new initiatives, this event is a must for anyone interested in the future of open data.

What are EU Open Data Days?

 EU Open Data Days are an opportunity to exchange ideas and network with others interested in the world of open data and related technologies. This event is particularly aimed at professionals involved in data publishing and reuse, analysis, policy making or academic research.However, it is also open to the general public. After all, these are two days of sharing, learning and contributing to the future of open data in Europe.

What can you expect from EU Open Data Days 2025?

The event programme is designed to cover a wide range of topics that are key to the open data ecosystem, such as:

• Success stories and best practices: real experiences from those at the forefront of data policy in Europe, to learn how open data is being used in different business models and to address the emerging frontiers of artificial intelligence.
• Challenges and solutions: an overview of the challenges of using open data, from the perspective of publishers and users, addressing technical, ethical and legal issues.
• Visualising impact: analysis of how data visualisation is changing the way we communicate complex information and how it can facilitate better decision-making and encourage citizen participation.
• Data literacy: training to acquire new skills to maximise the potential of open data in each area of work or interest of the attendees.

An event open to all sectors

The EU Open Data Days are aimed at a wide audience: the public, the media, the general public and the general public.

• Private sector: data analytics specialists, developers and technology solution providers will be able to learn new techniques and trends, and connect with other professionals in the sector.
• Public sector: policy makers and government officials will discover how open data can be used to improve decision-making, increase transparency and foster innovation in policy design.
• Academia and education: researchers, teachers and students will be able to engage in discussions on how open data is fuelling new research and advances in areas as diverse as social sciences, emerging technologies and economics.
• Journalism and media: Data journalists and communicators will learn how to use data visualisation to tell more powerful and accurate stories, fostering better public understanding of complex issues.

Submit your proposal before 22 October

Would you like to present a paper at the EU Open Data Days 2025? You have until Tuesday 22 October to send your proposal on one of the above-mentioned themes. Papers that address open data or related areas are sought, such as data visualisation or the use of artificial intelligence in conjunction with open data.

The European data portal is looking for inspiring cases that demonstrate the impact of open data use in Europe and beyond. The call is open to participants from all over the world and from all sectors: from international, national and EU public organisations, to academics, journalists and data visualisation experts. Selected projects will be part of the conference programme, and presentations must be made in English.

Proposals should be between 20 and 35 minutes in length, including time for questions and answers. If your proposal is selected, travel and accommodation expenses (one night) will be reimbursed for participants from the academic sector, the public sector and NGOs.

For further details and clarifications, please contact the organising team by email: EU-Open-Data-Days@ec.europa.eu.

• Deadline for submission of proposals: 22 October 2024.
• Notification to selected participants: November 2024.
• Delivery of the draft presentation: 15 January 2025.
• Delivery of the final presentation: 18 February 2025.
• Conference dates: 19-20 March 2025.

The future of open data is now. The EU Open Data Days 2025 will not only be an opportunity to learn about the latest trends and practices in data use, but also to build a stronger and more collaborative community around open data. Registration for the event will open in late autumn 2024, we will announce it through our social media channels on TwitterlinkedIn and Instagram.