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At the epicentre of global innovation that defines Mobile World Congress (MWC), a space has emerged where human talent takes centre stage: the Talent Arena.

The 2026 edition, promoted by Mobile World Capital Barcelona, brought together professionals, technology companies, training centres and emerging talent between 2 and 4 March with a common goal: to learn, connect and explore new opportunities in the digital field. At this event, Red.es actively participated with several sessions focused on one of the great current challenges: how to promote digital transformation through talent, training and innovation. Among them was the workshop "Open Data in Spain. From theory to practice with datos.gob.es", a session that focused on the strategic role of open data and its connection with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

In this post we review the contents of the presentation that combined:

• A didactic look at the evolution, current state and future of open data in Spain
• A hands-on workshop on creating a conversational agent with MCP

What is open data? Evolution and milestones

The session began by establishing a fundamental pillar: the importance of open data in today's ecosystem. Beyond their technical definition – data that can be freely used, reused and shared by anyone, for any purpose – the talk underscored that their true power lies in the transformative impact they generate.

As addressed in the workshop, this data comes from multiple sources (public administrations, universities, companies and even citizens) and its openness allows:

• Promote institutional transparency, by facilitating access to public information.
• Encourage innovation, by enabling developers and businesses to create new services.
• Generate economic and social value, from the reuse of information in multiple sectors, such as health, education or the environment.

One of the key aspects of the workshop was to contextualize the historical evolution of open data. Although the first antecedents date back to the 50s and 60s, the modern concept of "open data" began to consolidate in the 90s. Subsequently, milestones such as the Memorandum on Transparency and Open Government (2007-2009) or the creation of the Open Government Partnership in 2011 marked a turning point at the international level.

In Spain, this development has been supported by a solid regulatory framework, such as Law 37/2007, which establishes key principles:

• Default opening of public data, especially high-value data.
• Creation of interoperable catalogs.
• Promotion of the reuse of information.
• Establishment of units responsible for data management.

The role of datos.gob.es: the national open data portal

At the heart of this ecosystem is datos.gob.es, the national open data portal, which acts as a unified access point to the public information available in Spain.

During the workshop, it was explained how this platform has evolved over time: from a few hundred datasets to hosting more than 100,000 today. It has also been incorporating new functionalities and adapting to international standards such as DCAT-AP and its national adaptation DCAT-AP-ES. These standards allow metadata to be structured in an interoperable way, facilitating integration between different catalogs.

Check here the Practical Guide to Implementing DCAT-AP-ES step by step

In addition, the data federation process in datos.gob.es was detailed  , which ensures that data from different sources can be integrated in a consistent and accessible way.

Despite the progress, the presentation also addressed the remaining challenges:

• Data quality and updating.
• Standardization and interoperability.
• Security and access control, especially in AI-connected environments.
• Training of users, both technical and non-technical.

Figure 1. Photo taken during the Talent Arena presentation at the Mobile World Congress. The photo shows the slide from the presentation explaining the concept of open data. Source: own elaboration - datos.gob.es.

From data to intelligence: the leap to AI

One of the most innovative elements of the workshop was its practical approach, focused on the application of artificial intelligence to open data. This is where the Model Context Protocol (MCP) came into play, an open standard that allows you to connect language models (Large Language Model or LLM) with external data sources in real time.

The initial problem that the workshop had to answer is how AI models, on their own, do not have up-to-date access to information or external systems. This limits their usefulness in real contexts. One solution may be to develop an MCP that acts as a "bridge" between the model and data sources, enabling:

• Access up-to-date information.
• Execute actions on external systems.
• Integrate multiple data sources securely.

In simple words, it is about connecting the "brain" (the AI model) with the "tools" (databases, APIs, internal systems).

The exercise, which took place live in the Talent Arena, began with a simple example: creating a database of film preferences and developing an MCP that would allow it to be consulted using natural language.

From there, key concepts were introduced:

• Identification of the intention of the model.
• Function calling.
• Generation of natural language responses from structured data.

This approach allows us to abstract the technical complexity and bring the use of data closer to non-specialized profiles.

The next step was to apply this same approach to the datos.gob.es catalog. Through its API, it's possible. First, it allows you to search for datasets by title and filter by topic; then through the API you can obtain detailed information about a dataset and access catalog statistics.

The MCP developed in the workshop acted as an intermediary between the AI model and this API, allowing complex queries to be made using natural language. 

This exercise combined a local database (SQLite) and the consumption of external data through an API, all integrated through an MCP server that allowed these functionalities to be exposed as accessible tools. The goal was to understand how to structure data, query it, and make it available to other AI systems or models in an organized way.

The full code is available as an attachment to this post in Python Notebook format.

This exercise is a sign of the enormous opportunities before us. The combination of open data and artificial intelligence can:

• Democratize access to information.
• Accelerate innovation.
• Improve decision-making in the public and private sectors.

In summary, the workshop "Open Data in Spain. From theory to practice with datos.gob.es" highlighted a fundamental idea: data, by itself, does not generate value. It is their use, interpretation and combination with other technologies that allows them to be transformed into knowledge and real solutions.

The evolution of open data in Spain shows that much progress has been made in recent years. However, the real potential is yet to be exploited, especially in its integration with technologies such as artificial intelligence. Events like Talent Arena 2026 serve precisely that: connecting ideas, sharing knowledge, and exploring new ways of doing things.

On May 8, 2026,  a new edition of the National Open Data Meeting (ENDA) will take place, this time in Pamplona organized by the Government of Navarra. A key event for those working in public innovation, data reuse and digital entrepreneurship to exchange knowledge, experiences and good practices.

Under the slogan "Learn and undertake", this year's edition focuses on the role of data in education and in the promotion of new business projects, highlighting the importance of data literacy and the potential of open data as a driver of innovation, learning and the creation of job opportunities.

An open approach focused on practical experiences

This edition's agenda has been designed to address the main challenges and opportunities posed by the use of open data in this specific area. Throughout the day, issues such as the reuse of data in the field of education, the possibilities they offer at the workplace or the role of public administrations as drivers of this data ecosystem will be explored.

The session will begin at 9:00 a.m. with the inauguration by Javier Remírez Apesteguía, First Vice-President, Minister of the Presidency and Equality and spokesman for the Government of Navarre. It will be followed by the keynote speech "AI and open data: new ways of exploiting, understanding and creating value" by Mikel Galar Idoiate, professor in the area of Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the Public University of Navarra.

The event will then take place over various round tables that will allow for a deeper understanding of various topics from a practical perspective, with real examples and experiences shared by professionals who work with data on a daily basis.

• Table 1: Relationship between education, entrepreneurship and employment
• Table 2: The role of Public Administrations in the reuse of data
• Table 3: Entrepreneurship and open data: vision and future
• Table 4: The power of data in education
• Table 5: Evolution of Open Data Policies

Datos.gob.es will participate in this last table by contributing its experience as a reference platform at the national level in terms of opening and reusing public sector information. For its part, the General Directorate of Data will share its vision at table 2. In both cases, trends and the lines of work that are being developed to promote the culture of data throughout the country will be shared.

A new challenge to face

Since its first edition, ENDA has been a meeting place for those who work with open data from very diverse perspectives. Each year, the event has been consolidating a broader and more mature community, capable of generating projects, methodologies and alliances that transcend the meeting itself. In this sense, within the framework of each meeting, a central space is dedicated to the identification of a challenge that must be addressed in order to consolidate a more solid, useful and sustainable data ecosystem. These challenges, defined collaboratively, allow public policies and reuse initiatives to be oriented towards a more mature and impact-oriented model. The challenges addressed in previous editions have been:

• CHALLENGE 1. Generate data exchanges and facilitate their openness, where participants reached a series of conclusions to promote inter-administrative collaboration.
• CHALLENGE 2. Increase capacities for open data, where work was done on a competency framework so that public employees acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to promote open data.
• CHALLENGE 3. How to measure the impact of open data, where a methodological proposal was made  for the development of a systematic mapping of initiatives that try to measure the impact of open data.
• CHALLENGE 4. Prioritization in the opening of public data, where the datasets to be published by public administrations (local, regional or national) were identified. To this end, a methodological proposal and a tool were developed to determine the level of organizational maturity in data openness policies.

We will have to wait for the celebration of the V ENDA to know what this year's challenge is.

Registration now open

The conference is open to both those who work with data in their day-to-day work and those who want to discover new opportunities in the educational, professional or entrepreneurial field. Whatever your case, in order to attend it is necessary to register through the event's website. The form will remain available until April 30, 2026.

After four editions held in different territories, ENDA continues to grow as an itinerant meeting that promotes collaboration between administrations, universities, companies and citizen organizations, consolidating a diverse community committed to open data. An opportunity to grow and continue learning.

If you want more information, on the official website you can consult the contents, materials and learnings from the four previous editions, which have contributed to strengthening the state open data ecosystem.

On the occasion of Open Data Day 2026, the Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN) held an online conference  entitled "The Future of Open Data", an open-access event that brought together a diverse community of data professionals from governments, civil society organizations, universities, newsrooms and activist collectives. From datos.gob.es we follow the day live and share here a summary of the main ideas that marked the day.

Three approaches to understanding the role of open data in the age of AI

The conference was structured around three main thematic blocks:

1. Navigating open data regulation in the public interest: interventions by representatives of academia, public policy makers and researchers from different countries who discussed the regulatory framework of open data in the current context of AI.
2. Community Voices, Open Data, and AI: Short presentations of concrete projects from around the world exploring the intersection between open data and artificial intelligence, from tools for judicial analysis to  citizen science dashboards.
3. 20 years of CKAN: The future in the age of AI: reflections on the two decades of history of open data and CKAN, on the past, present and challenges to come.

Overall, the day combined political reflection, technical innovation and community vision, with voices from Spain, France, India, Ukraine, Kenya, the United States and Australia, among other countries. And the common thread of the event was the question that today runs through digital policy forums around the world: what is the role of open data in an ecosystem increasingly dominated by artificial intelligence?

Thematic block 1. A movement that was born out of activism

In its origins, the open data movement began in conversations between activists committed to transparency, accountability and access to public information to citizens.

This episode of the datos.gob.es podcast also discusses the origin of open data and its evolution

Today, however, the movement is more diversified because there are now more agents that influence, such as artificial intelligence. There is also a regulatory context that functions as a framework in the development of the open data movement.

The topic of regulation and governance was the backbone of the first session of the event, moderated by Renata Ávila, CEO of OKFN. The following participated in it:

• Jonathan Gray, author of the book Public Data Cultures (Polity, 2025) and professor at King's College London, presented his work as a reference source for reflecting on data as an open asset: how this openness is built and how it can help us respond to great collective challenges. His proposal is that public data is not simply technical information, but the result of cultural and political decisions about what we tell, how we tell it, and for whom.
• Renato Berrino Malaccorto, research manager of the Open Data Charter, stressed that the openness of data is fundamental for the ethical development of AI. Without open, auditable and quality data, it is not possible to build artificial intelligence systems that are accountable to citizens. At the same time, he pointed out that there is a real capacity gap: many organizations and governments lack the technical and human resources necessary to harness the potential of open data in this new context.
• Ruth del Campo, general director of data at the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function of the Government of Spain, offered a very relevant institutional perspective for our context. He recalled that "The data economy is part of the economy", and underlined the boost that the Government is giving to initiatives such as datos.gob.es and Impulsa Data (aimed at modernizing internal management and feeding the Sectoral Data Spaces). He also stressed the importance of the data strategy incorporating AI ready principles, guaranteeing adequate resources – such as linguistic corpora – to train AI models efficiently and without generating new inequalities. Finally, he pointed out the need to simplify and harmonize data regulations, a process in which progress is already being made at the European level.

The panel's underlying message was clear: open data needs to be placed at the heart of the digital agenda, adequately resourced and explicitly connected to public AI strategies. AI of social interest cannot be built without open data; and open data without a vision of AI risks being relegated to irrelevance.

Thematic block 2. Lightning Talks: Projects That Demonstrate the Potential of Open Data

The second session of the day brought together short presentations of concrete projects that illustrated how open data and artificial intelligence can work together in the public interest. Some examples are:

• Ihor Samokhodskyi from the Ukrainian initiative Policy Genome presented an open data-based analysis tool for judicial practice that demonstrates how public information, combined with AI techniques, can contribute to transparency and the improvement of justice systems.
• Javier Conde, from the Polytechnic University of Madrid, presented the proposal he has developed together with his colleagues Andrés Muñoz-Arcentales and Álvaro Alonso to improve the integration of European open data in  data spaces. This project facilitates the automatic generation of high-quality metadata, thus ensuring the interoperability and reuse of datasets. A directly relevant initiative for the improvement of portals such as datos.gob.es and its connection with data.europa.eu.
• Renu Kumari, from #semanticClimate and Frictionless Data (India), presented a project that works at the intersection between open climate data and semantic tools to make scientific literature and data on climate change more accessible, structured and reusable.
• Richard Muraya, from The Demography Project (Kenya), presented Uhai/Life, a  citizen science dashboard that aggregates open data on natural resource use to provide insight into human and environmental well-being at the local scale. An example of how open data can empower communities to tell their own story, without relying on external narratives or institutions.

Figure 1. Presentation slide of one of the presentations of the event. Source: conference "The Future of Open Data" organized by OKFN.

• Finally, Sayantika Banik from DataJourney (India) showed an autonomous analytics assistant capable of transforming open datasets into easily understandable information.

Thematic block 3. Round table: 20 years of CKAN and the challenges of the future

The longest session of the day was also the most reflective: a round table to celebrate two decades of CKAN, the open data portal management tool born within OKFN and which today feeds hundreds of data portals around the world, including datos.gob.es. The panel was moderated by Jamaica Jones, CKAN/POSE community manager  at the University of Pittsburgh. The following participated in this table:

• Rufus Pollock, founder of OKFN and Datopian, and co-founder of Life Itself, stressed the importance of keeping power in the hands of citizens and of betting on open source as a driver of economic development and shared knowledge. For Pollock, AI must be understandable and accessible to most, not just large corporations.
• Joel Natividad is Co-CEO and co-founder of datHere, a company specializing in open data solutions and analytics tools for the public sector. As a CKAN user for more than 15 years, he insisted on one idea: "We have always tried to learn how machines think, and now it is machines that are learning how humans think."
• Patricio Del Boca is Tech Lead and Open Activist at OKFN, where he leads the technical development of initiatives related to CKAN and open data infrastructures. He shared OKFN's next steps for 2026: building more community and developing use cases that demonstrate the practical value of open data in the current context.
• Andrea Borruso is an expert in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and open data. As president of onData, an Italian non-profit association that promotes access to and reuse of public data, he highlighted data activism and citizen science as drivers of technological development that involve the community.
• Antonin Garrone of data.gouv.fr, France's national open data portal, brought to the table the perspective of an established portal that has spent years exploring how to integrate new technologies without losing sight of its public service mission.
• Steven De Costa is CEO of Link Digital, an Australian company specializing in the implementation and development of CKAN-based solutions, and Co-Steward of the CKAN project. His perspective combined technical vision with a concern to maintain an open and participatory governance model.
• Finally, Public AI research engineer Mohsin Yousufi insisted on the intersection between artificial intelligence, public data infrastructures, and technology policies, exploring how AI systems can be designed and governed to serve the public interest.

Final Thought: Open Data as Democratic Infrastructure

If there is one conclusion that ran through all the sessions of Open Data Day 2026, it is that open data is not in crisis, but at a decisive moment. The opportunities offered by artificial intelligence are real, but so are the risks. It is important to know them in order to know how to address them. Some of those that were mentioned are:

• Prevent public data from becoming the raw material of private systems without transparency or accountability.
• Preserve the political will to keep open data portals functional and updated.
• Bridging the digital skills and training gap to facilitate the participation of all countries and communities in the new AI ecosystem.

In the face of this, the message of the event was one of mobilization: it is necessary to vindicate open data as a democratic infrastructure, explicitly connect data policies with public AI strategies, and ensure that the benefits of artificial intelligence reach all citizens, and not only those who already have access to technological resources.

From datos.gob.es we will continue to work in that direction, and we celebrate the existence of spaces such as Open Data Day to remind us why we started and where we want to go.

You can watch the event video again here

On Wednesday, March 4, the Cajasiete Big Data, Open Data and Blockchain Chair of the University of La Laguna held a webinar to present the winning ideas of the Cabildo de Tenerife Open Data Contest: Reuse Ideas. An event to highlight the potential of public information when it is put at the service of citizens. The recording of the presentation is available here.

In this post we will review what each of the winning projects consists of – which are still pending ideas for development in apps – and what challenges they would answer.

Cultiva+ Tenerife: precision agriculture for the Tenerife countryside

The first prize-winning project was born from a very specific need that every farmer on the island knows well: to make the right decisions at the right time. Which crop is most profitable this season? What are the weather conditions forecast for the coming weeks? Is there a fair or event in the sector that should not be missed?

Cultiva+ Tenerife is an application designed specifically for the agricultural sector that integrates open data from the Cabildo to answer these questions in a simple and intuitive way.

Specifically, it is aimed at both workers already established in the sector and new farmers. In the first case, the app would facilitate daily work through irrigation recommendations and other issues that improve production; while for new farmers the application would help to select the best plot to start an agricultural activity according to soil type, weather conditions, etc.

Figure 1. Possible uses of the Cultiva+ Tenerife application according to the type of user. Source: presentation by Cultiva+Tenerife in the Webinar "From data to innovation: Reuse ideas awarded in the I Open Data Contest of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Universidad de la Laguna".

The application would intuitively and clearly collect information such as:

• Price information: the farmer can consult the evolution of market prices of different products, which allows him to plan what to grow based on the expected profitability.
• Weather conditions: the app crosses weather data with the specific needs of each type of crop, helping to anticipate irrigation, protection or harvests.

• Agenda of activities of interest: agricultural fairs, technical conferences, calls for grants... All relevant information for the sector, centralized in one place.

  

Figure 2. Visual structure of the Cultiva+Tenerife application. Source: presentation by Cultiva+Tenerife in the Webinar "From data to innovation: Reuse ideas awarded in the I Open Data Contest of the Cabildo de Tenerife, Universidad de la Laguna".

Something that was highlighted as valuable about this project in the webinar is its focus on a group that has historically had less access to digital tools: farmers in Tenerife. The proposal does not seek to complicate their day-to-day life with unnecessary technology, but to simplify decisions that today are often made by eye or with incomplete information. Precision agriculture is no longer just a matter for large farms: with open data and a good application, it can be within the reach of any local producer.

Analysis of trends and models on tourism in Tenerife: when the data reveal a crisis

The second winning project addresses one of the most complex and urgent issues in the reality of Tenerife: the relationship between tourism, housing and the labour market. An equation with multiple variables that directly affects the quality of life of residents and that, until now, was difficult to analyse rigorously without access to reliable data.

The starting point of the project is revealing: in June 2024, 35% of the new employment contracts signed in Tenerife corresponded to the hospitality sector. A figure that perfectly illustrates the structural dependence of the island's economy on tourism, but which also opens up uncomfortable questions: to what extent is tourism growth transforming the housing market? Are you displacing habitual residents from certain areas? How will tourist arrivals evolve in the coming years?

This project proposes to answer these questions through an analysis and prediction model built with data science tools. Its developer proposes to use data such as the number of tourists staying in Tenerife according to category and area of establishment, available in datos.tenerife.es, to build models with Python and NumPy that allow identifying trends and projecting future scenarios.

The objectives of the project are ambitious but concrete:

• Analyse the relationship between tourist demand and accommodation supply, identifying which areas of the island suffer the greatest pressure and at what times of the year.
• To develop a predictive model capable of estimating the future arrival of tourists and their impact on the tourist housing sector.
• Contribute to mitigating the housing crisis by providing data and analysis that allow us to understand how tourism is affecting the availability of housing for residents.
• To support business and urban planning, offering companies, investors and administrations an analysis tool that facilitates strategic decision-making.

In short, it is a matter of putting the intelligence of data at the service of one of the most current debates that Tenerife has on the table.

The university as a bridge between data and society

The choice of the Cajasiete Big Data, Open Data and Blockchain Chair of the University of La Laguna as a space to give visibility to the winners is in itself a message: the University has a key role in the construction of the open data ecosystem in Tenerife.

This chair has been working for years on the border between academic research and the practical application of technologies such as big data analysis, blockchain or the reuse of public information. Their involvement in this competition and in the dissemination of its results reinforces the idea that open data is also a valuable resource for training, research and local economic development.

The success of this first call has confirmed that there was a real demand for this type of initiative. So much so that the Cabildo has already launched the II Open Data Contest: APP Development, which gives continuity to the process by taking ideas to the next level: the development of functional applications.

If in the first edition ideas and conceptual proposals were awarded, in this second edition the challenge is to build real solutions, with code, user interface and proven functionalities. The economic endowment is 6,000 euros divided into three prizes.

Projects such as Cultiva+ Tenerife or the Analysis of the impact of tourism on housing show that there are ideas with the potential to become useful and sustainable tools. This second phase is the opportunity to materialize them.

Every year, the international open knowledge advocacy organization Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN) organizes Open Data Day (ODD), a framework initiative that will bring together activities around the world to demonstrate the value of open data. It is a meeting point for public administrations, civil society, universities, technology companies and citizens interested in the reuse of public information. It is, above all, an invitation to move from theory to practice: to open data, reuse it and turn it into concrete solutions.

From datos.gob.es, national open data portal, we join this celebration by also compiling other activities that put data and related technologies at the center. In this post we review some events that will be held during this month of March. Take note and write down the agenda!

Data against misinformation: celebrate Open Data Day with Open Data Barcelona Initiative

This meeting is part of the activities organized in Spain on the occasion of Open Data Day 2026, and is focused on the role of open data as a tool to strengthen the quality of public information and combat disinformation. The event will give visibility to projects that use open data to promote a more transparent democracy, encourage informed citizen participation and contribute to the development of responsible artificial intelligence based on reliable data.

• When? On Tuesday, March 10 at 5:30 p.m.
• Where? Ca l'Alier C/ de Pere IV, 362 in Barcelona
• Learn more

The future of Open Data: OKFN's anniversary

On the occasion of Open Data Day 2026, the Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN) is organizing an online conference to bring together the open data community and celebrate two decades of CKAN, the tool that emerged from OKFN's work that today powers data portals around the world. The meeting will provide an opportunity to discuss the current role of open data and data infrastructures in the face of contemporary technical and political challenges. It is aimed at professionals from governments, civil society, the media, activist groups and all those interested in reflecting on the future of open data in a rapidly changing technological context, marked especially by the emergence of artificial intelligence tools.

• When? On Wednesday, March 11 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Where? Online
• Learn more

Data as a public good:  European webinar

Organized by the data.europa.eu academy in the framework of Open Data Day, this webinar addresses how open data can act as a public good to improve decision-making in all territories, especially in rural areas. Through case studies from the United Kingdom and Ireland, the session will show how open information can identify local needs, reduce territorial inequalities and design evidence-based public policies that ensure more equitable access to essential services.

• When? Friday, March 13 from 10 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.
• Where? Online event
• Learn more

Solid World: innovation in the sharing and reuse of scientific data

This event will explore how to model, analyze, and share research data using technologies from the Solid* ecosystem. The session will feature representatives from W3C and Open Data Institute to present the SpOTy project, a web application for organizing and analyzing linguistic data that has migrated from RDF to Solid to give researchers greater control over the sharing of their data, also addressing challenges of interoperability and responsible reuse of scientific information.

*The Solid Ecosystem is a set of technologies, standards, and tools that enable individuals and organizations to control their own data on the web and decide how, when, and with whom it is shared.

• When? Monday, March 23 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Where? Online event
• Learn more

How to prepare public portals for the AI era

The thirteenth edition of the Data Centric AI cycle, organized by the Open Data Institute (ODI), will explore how public data portals must evolve to adapt to new ways of interacting with datasets. It will address the transformation of infrastructures such as data.gov.uk, plans for the National Data Library and the role of academic research in the design of new public data architectures, combining preparation for artificial intelligence with a user-centric approach and reflecting on the social context surrounding data and AI.

• When? Thursday, March 26 from 5 pm to 6 pm
• Where? Online event
• Learn more

Online events on open data in different sectors with Open Data Week

 Open Data Week is an annual festival of events held every March in New York City and organized by the NYC Open Data team  in conjunction with BetaNYC and Data Through Design. The week commemorates the anniversary of the city's first open data law, signed on March 7, 2012, and also coincides with Open Data Day, reinforcing its connection with the international open data movement. Some of the scheduled activities will be in virtual format.

• When? From 22 to 29 March
• Where? Some events can be followed in streaming
• Learn more

Data ethics keys for organizations

This session of the Data Ethics Professionals cycle  organized by ODI will focus on the main lessons learned by organizations that have initiated processes of integrating data ethics into their structures and workflows. The seminar will address common challenges such as obtaining management support, the practical incorporation of ethical tools and frameworks, and the management of workloads in organizational transformation processes.

• When? On Monday, March 30 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Where? Online
• Learn more

In short, the calendar for the coming weeks offers multiple opportunities to delve into the strategic value of open data and associated technologies. From local initiatives against disinformation to sectoral data spaces and European seminars on data as a public good, the ecosystem continues to grow and diversify. We encourage you to participate, share these calls and transfer the learnings to your organization. Because Open Data Day is just the starting point: true transformation is built throughout the year, connecting community, knowledge and action through open data.

These are some of the events that are scheduled for this month of March. In any case, don't forget to follow us on social networks so you don't miss any news about innovation and open data. We are on X and LinkedIn you can write to us if you need extra information.

In the last six months, the open data ecosystem in Spain has experienced intense activity marked by regulatory and strategic advances, the implementation of new platforms and functionalities in data portals, or the launch of innovative solutions based on public information.

In this article, we review some of those advances, so you can stay up to date. We also invite you to review the article on the news of the first half of 2025 so that you can have an overview of what has happened this year in the national data ecosystem.

Cross-cutting strategic, regulatory and policy developments

Data quality, interoperability and governance have been placed at the heart of both the national and European agenda, with initiatives seeking to foster a robust framework for harnessing the value of data as a strategic asset.

One of the main developments has been the launch of a new digital package by the European Commission in order to consolidate a robust, secure and competitive European data ecosystem. This package includes a digital bus to simplify the application of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Regulation. In addition, it is complemented by the new Data Union Strategy,  which is structured around three pillars:

• Expand access to quality data to drive artificial intelligence and innovation.
• Simplify the existing regulatory framework to reduce barriers and bureaucracy.
• Protect European digital sovereignty from external dependencies.

Its implementation will take place gradually over the next few months. It will be then that we will be able to appreciate its effects on our country and the rest of the EU territories.

Activity in Spain has also been - and will be - marked by the V Open Government Plan 2025-2029, approved last October. This plan has more than 200 initiatives and contributions from both civil society and administrations, many of them related to the opening and reuse of data. Spain's commitment to open data has also been evident in its adherence to the International Open Data Charter, a global initiative that promotes the openness and reuse of public data as tools to improve transparency, citizen participation, innovation and accountability.

Along with the promotion of data openness, work has also been done on the development of data sharing spaces. In this regard, the UNE 0087 standard was presented, which is in addition to UNE specifications on data and defines for the first time in Spain the key principles and requirements for creating and operating in data spaces, improving their interoperability and governance.

More innovative data-driven solutions

Spanish bodies continue to harness the potential of data as a driver of solutions and policies that optimise the provision of services to citizens. Some examples are:

• The Ministry of Health and citizen science initiative, Mosquito Alert, are using artificial intelligence and automated image analysis to improve real-time detection and tracking of tiger mosquitoes and invasive species.
• The Valenciaport Foundation, together with other European organisations, has launched a free tool that allows the benefits of installing wind and photovoltaic energy systems in ports to be assessed.
• The Cabildo de la Palma opted for smart agriculture with the new Smart Agro website: farmers receive personalised irrigation recommendations according to climate and location. The Cabildo has also launched a viewer to monitor mobility on the island.
• The City Council of Segovia has implemented a digital twin that centralizes high-value applications and geographic data, allowing the city to be visualized and analyzed in an interactive three-dimensional environment. It improves municipal management and promotes transparency and citizen participation.
• Vila-real City Council has launched a digital application that integrates public transport, car parks and tourist spots in real time. The project seeks to optimize urban mobility and promote sustainability through smart technology.
• Sant Boi City Council has launched an interactive map made with open data that centralises information on urban transport, parking and sustainable options on a single platform, in order to improve urban mobility.
• The DataActive International Research Network has been inaugurated, an initiative funded by the Higher Sports Council that seeks to promote the design of active urban environments through the use of open data.

Not only public bodies reuse open data, universities are also working on projects linked to digital innovation based on public information:

• Students from the Universitat de València have designed projects that use AI and open data to prevent natural disasters.
• Researchers from the University of Castilla-La Mancha have shown that it is feasible to reuse air quality prediction models in different areas of Madrid using transfer learning.

In addition to solutions, open data can also be used to shape other types of products, including sculptures. This is the case of "The skeleton of climate change", a figure presented by the National Museum of Natural Sciences, based on data on changes in global temperature from 1880 to 2024.

New portals and functionalities to extract value from data

The solutions and innovations mentioned above are possible thanks to the existence of multiple platforms for opening or sharing data that do not stop incorporating new data sets and functionalities to extract value from them. Some of the developments we have seen in this regard in recent months are:

• The National Observatory of Technology and Society (ONTSI) has launched a new website. One of its new features is Ontsi Data, a tool for preparing reports with indicators from both its portal and third parties.
• The General Council of Notaries has launched a Housing Statistical Portal, an open tool with reliable and up-to-date data on the real estate market in Spain.
• The Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN) has inaugurated on its website an open data space with microdata on the composition of food and beverages marketed in Spain.
• The Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) launched a renewed website, adapted to any device and with a more powerful search engine to facilitate access to its studies and data.
• The National Geographic Institute (IGN) has presented a new website for SIOSE, the Information System on Land Occupation in Spain, with a more modern, intuitive and dynamic design. In addition, it has made available to the public a new version of the Geographic Reference Information of Transport Networks (IGR-RT), segmented by provinces and modes of transport, and available in Shapefile and GeoPackage.
• The AKIS Advisors Platform, promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, has launched a new open data API that allows registered users to download and reuse content related to the agri-food sector in Spain.
• The Government of Catalonia launched a new corporate website that centralises key aspects of European funds, public procurement, transparency and open data in a single point. It has also launched a website where it collects information on the AI systems it uses.
• PortCastelló has published its 2024 Proceedings in open data format. All the management, traffic, infrastructures and economic data of the port are now accessible and reusable by any citizen.
• Researchers from the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya and the Institute of Photonic Sciences have created an open library with data on 140 biomolecules. A pioneering resource that promotes open science and the use of open data in biomedicine.
• CitriData, a federated space for data, models and services in the Andalusian citrus value chain, was also presented. Its goal is to transform the sector through the intelligent and collaborative use of data.

Other organizations are immersed in the development of their novelties. For example, we will soon see the new Open Data Portal of Aguas de Alicante, which will allow public access to key information on water management, promoting the development of solutions based on Big Data and AI.

These months have also seen strategic advances linked to improving the quality and use of data, such as the Data Government Model of the Generalitat Valenciana or the Roadmap for the Provincial Strategy of artificial intelligence of the Provincial Council of Castellón.

Datos.gob.es also introduced a new platform aimed at optimizing both publishing and data access. If you want to know this and other news of the Aporta Initiative in 2025, we invite you to read this post.

Encouraging the use of data through events, resources and citizen actions

The second half of 2025 was the time chosen by a large number of public bodies to launch tenders aimed at promoting the reuse of the data they publish. This was the case of the Junta de Castilla y León, the Madrid City Council, the Valencia City Council and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia. Our country has also participated in international events such as the NASA Space Apps Challenge.

Among the events where the power of open data has been disseminated, the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Summit, the Iberian Conference on Spatial Data Infrastructures (JIIDE), the International Congress on Transparency and Open Government or the 17th International Conference on the Reuse of Public Sector Information of ASEDIE stand out.  although there were many more.

Work has also been done on reports that highlight the impact of data on specific sectors, such as the DATAGRI Chair 2025 Report of the University of Cordoba, focused on the agri-food sector. Other published documents seek to help improve data management, such as "Fundamentals of Data Governance in the context of data spaces", led by DAMA Spain, in collaboration with Gaia-X Spain.

Citizen participation is also critical to the success of data-driven innovation. In this sense, we have seen both activities aimed at promoting the publication of data and improving those already published or their reuse:

• The Barcelona Open Data Initiative requested citizen help to draw up a ranking of digital solutions based on open data to promote healthy ageing. They also organized a participatory activity to improve the iCuida app, aimed at domestic and care workers. This app allows you to search for public toilets, climate shelters and other points of interest for the day-to-day life of caregivers.
• The Spanish Space Agency launched a survey to find out the needs and uses of Earth Observation images and data within the framework of strategic projects such as the Atlantic Constellation.

In conclusion, the activities carried out in the second half of 2025 highlight the consolidation of the open data ecosystem in Spain as a driver of innovation, transparency and citizen participation. Regulatory and strategic advances, together with the creation of new platforms and solutions based on data, show a firm commitment on the part of institutions and society to take advantage of public information as a key resource for sustainable development, the improvement of services and the generation of knowledge.

As always, this article is just a small sample of the activities carried out. We invite you to share other activities that you know about through the comments.

The recent Meeting Forum between the Government of Spain and the Autonomous Communities has marked a turning point in how public administrations approach digital transformation. For the first time, the debate has not focused on convincing about the importance of data or the need to modernize processes, but on executing a coherent strategy that allows the deployment of AI to take advantage of its full potential. All this highlighting the importance of having a solid database of well-governed data that is useful for citizens.

The conclusions of the meeting, articulated in specialized working groups, outline a roadmap that confirms the maturity reached. Far from focusing solely on technological aspects, the forum has focused on where the challenge really lies: on the cultural, organisational and governance obstacles that will determine the success or failure of this transformation in the coming years. The debate took place in three working tables:

• Table 1: Unlocking the data, from the Standard to the Practice

• Table 2: Orchestration of Data, Symphony or Cacophony of Roles?

• Table 3: Sectoral Data Spaces, the Public Boost to Market Value

In this post we tell you the main conclusions.

Data as a strategic asset: from theory to practice

The starting point of the first table of the forum was to understand that the main challenge to turn data into a strategic asset is no longer technological. Administrations today have robust, stable and capable solutions. The real obstacle is cultural: overcoming the vision of data as a burden and consolidating it as an engine of innovation and public service.

Breaking this inertia, according to the participants in the forum, requires decisive leadership capable of aligning regulatory framework and technological capabilities. And, in this change, artificial intelligence is emerging as the catalyst because it highlights the hidden value of data and, above all, because it cannot function without overcoming the traditional administrative silos that still fragment public information.

One of the most repeated messages at this table was the still widespread fear of sharing information between organizations. The fear of taking responsibility creates barriers that limit the potential of public data. To reverse this situation, the need to combine clear mandates with strong incentives was underlined. It is not enough to order; you have to convince by showing real profits. Attractive  and mutually beneficial use cases are thus revealed as a fundamental tool to foster collaboration.

In relation to this, legal certainty also occupied a large part of the debate. Although it is often used as a reason to stop projects, participants stressed that it should not become an excuse for paralysis. The way forward is to clarify, simplify and harmonise the rules, evolving from an excessively legalistic approach to a model based on trust and the social value generated by the responsible use of data.

In addition, the key role of public-private collaboration was highlighted. Companies don't just bring technology, they can also accelerate innovation if they feel part of a stable and trusted ecosystem. To this end, administrations can offer guarantees of sovereignty and utility, and, in the event of a lack of reciprocity, resort to public procurement regulation to ensure participation.

Coordinating roles so that the orchestra does not go out of tune

On the other hand, the second table addressed one of the great challenges of the Public Administration: coordinating the multiple profiles necessary to manage, protect and exploit data in a context that is increasingly oriented towards AI. Nowadays, any administration can hire the same cloud  platforms or analysis tools. Technology has been democratized. What really sets one organization apart from another is the richness, quality, and governance of its data.

Therefore, for the organization to function as a fine-tuned orchestra, the synchronization of roles is essential. In this sense, the table underlined the need for superior strategic leadership from the figure of the CDO (Chief Data Officer) capable of establishing business priorities and coordinating the team. Its legitimacy must come from the highest levels of the organization, because without this support it is difficult to promote the required organizational and cultural changes. The CDO is not a merely technical role because, in addition, it plays a key role in guiding data governance from the perspective of usefulness and impact.

 The roles traditionally associated with regulatory compliance must also evolve. The Data Protection Officer (DPO) must become a strategic partner, co-responsible for risk and an active participant in decision-making. Only in this way will it be able to accompany the deployment of innovative projects based on data.

One of the most relevant consensuses was the central role of data quality. Although it is often perceived as a barrier that slows down innovation, the reality is just the opposite: quality is a non-negotiable requirement for developing ethical, robust and valid algorithms. AI cannot be built on opaque, inconsistent, or untraceable data without putting public trust at risk.

In addition, the value provided by historically consolidated disciplines within the Administration, such as statistics, cartography or open data, was highlighted. Far from being an anchor that slows down modernization, these specialties are a driver: their integration from the origin of the processes ensures that AI systems are fed with verified, traceable and top-quality data.

In conclusion, the table proposed moving towards multidisciplinary teams where engineers, business experts and legal managers work together throughout the data life cycle, avoiding the traditional compartmentalizations that weigh down digital projects so much.

Sectoral Data Spaces: from public impetus to the real market

The third table focused its analysis on a key element for the European data economy: the Sectoral Data Spaces. The Spanish public administrations showed a firm commitment to these developments, betting on a role of  promoters, facilitators and guarantors of trust.

The message was direct: these spaces must evolve towards sustainable business models. Public subsidies can serve as an initial impetus, but they cannot sustain projects that do not generate real value for the market. Demand, and not just the supply of funding, must validate the viability of these initiatives in the medium term.

One of the challenges identified is the scaling up of projects that are born in regional areas to national dimensions. To achieve a significant impact, a shared vision and close collaboration between Autonomous Communities (ACs) is essential, something that the Forum has reinforced precisely with this type of meeting. One of the key objectives of the Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2024 and the recent Data Union Strategy is for SMEs to be actively involved. To do this, you need to simplify technical barriers and communicate the value proposition clearly, in a business-oriented language rather than a technicality.

Finally, an optimistic message was delivered about talent. Although there is concern about the ability of the public sector to attract and retain specialized profiles in competition with the private sector, the table rejected the idea of resignation. The Administration is not condemned to a secondary role if it is able to strengthen and enhance its internal talent. Digital transformation requires leadership from the public sphere, and this leadership is possible with the right structures, opportunities for growth, and a shared vision.

Conclusion: a qualitative leap towards maturity

The 2025 Autonomous Communities Forum has served to consolidate a collective and mature vision of the role of data in the Administration. Overcoming silos, coordinating roles, simplifying standards, guaranteeing data quality and generating sustainable business models are essential steps for AI and the data economy to generate real value for citizens.

Spain is moving towards a model in which administrations stop focusing on the tool, to focus on utility; A model where collaboration – between agencies, with the private sector and between territories – is the key to unlocking the true potential of public data.

The 17th International Conference on the Reuse of Public Sector Information will be held on December 3 in Madrid. The Multisectoral Association of Information (ASEDIE) organizes this event every year, which in its new edition will take place at the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function in Madrid. Under the slogan "When the standard is not enough: inequality in the application of data regulations", the current challenges around the reuse of public information and the need for agile and effective regulatory frameworks will be addressed.

Regulatory complexity, a challenge to be addressed

This event brings together national and European experts to address the reuse of data as a driver of innovation. Specifically, this year's edition focuses on the need to advance in a regulation that promotes a culture of openness in all administrations, avoiding regulatory fragmentation and ensuring that access to public information translates into a true economic and social value.

Through various presentations and round tables, some of the great current challenges in this area will be addressed: from regulatory simplification to facilitate the reuse of information to open government as a real practice.

The program of the Conference

The event will offer a comprehensive vision of how to move towards a fairer, more open and competitive information ecosystem.

The reception for attendees will take place between 09:00 and 09:30. At that time, the event will begin with the welcome and inauguration, which will be given by Ruth del Campo, general director of data (Secretary of State for Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence). It will be followed by two presentations by the Permanent Representation of Spain to the European Union, by Miguel Valle del Olmo, Minister of Digital Transformation, and Almudena Darias de las Heras, Minister of Justice.

Throughout the day there will be three round tables:

• 10:15 – 10:45. Roundtable I: Regulatory simplification and legal certainty: Pillars for an agile and efficient framework. Moderated by Ignacio Jiménez, president of ASEDIE, it will feature the participation of Ruth del Campo and Meritxell Borràs i Solé, director of the Catalan Authority for the Protection of Dades.
• 10:45 – 11:45. Table II: Transparency and Open Government: from theory to practice. Four participants will share their vision and experience in the field: Carmen Cabanillas, Director General of Public Governance (Secretary of State for Public Administration), José Luis Rodríguez Álvarez, President of the Council of Transparency and Good Governance, José Máximo López Vilaboa, Director General of Transparency and Good Governance (Junta de Castilla y León) and Ángela Pérez Brunete,  Director General of Transparency and Quality (Madrid City Council). The conversation will be moderated by Manuel Hurtado, member of the Board of Directors of ASEDIE.
• 12:35 – 13:35. Table III: Open and transparent registries. Prevent money laundering without slowing down competitiveness. Under the moderation of Valentín Arce, vice-president of ASEDIE, a conversation will take place led by Antonio Fuentes Paniagua, deputy director general of Notaries and Registries (Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Courts Antonio), Andrés Martínez Calvo, Consultant of the Centralised Prevention Body (General Council of Notaries), Carlos Balmisa, technical general secretary of the Association of Property and Commercial Registrars,      and José Luis Perea, general secretary of ATA Autónomos.

During the morning, the following items will also be delivered:

• The UNE 0080 certification (Guide to the evaluation of Data Quality Governance, Management and Management). This specification develops a homogeneous framework for assessing an organization's maturity with respect to data processing. Find out more about the UNE specifications related to data in this article.
• The ASEDIE 2025 Award. This international award recognizes each year individuals, companies or institutions that stand out for their contribution to the innovation and development of the infomediary sector. To make visible projects that promote the reuse of public sector information (RISP), highlighting its role in the development of both the Spanish and global economy. You can meet the winners in previous editions here.

The event will end at 1:45 p.m., with a few words from Ignacio Jiménez.

You can see the detailed program on the ASEDIE website.

How to Attend

The 17th ASEDIE Conference is an essential event for those working in the field of information reuse, transparency and data-based innovation. 

This year's event can only be attended in person at the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function (c/ Mármol, 2, Parque Empresarial Rio 55, 28005, Madrid). It is necessary to register through their website.

From today, September 15, registration is open for one of the most important events in the geospatial sector in the Iberian Peninsula. The XVI Iberian Conference on Spatial Data Infrastructures (JIIDE 2025) will be held in Oviedo from 12 to 14 November 2025. This annual meeting represents a unique opportunity to explore the latest trends in spatial data reuse, especially in the context of the application of artificial intelligence to territorial knowledge.

Since its first edition in 2011, the JIIDEs have evolved as a result of collaboration between the Direção-Geral do Território de Portugal, the National Geographic Institute of Spain through the National Center for Geographic Information, and the Government of Andorra. In this sixteenth edition, the Ministry of Territorial Planning, Urban Planning, Housing and Citizens' Rights of  the Principality of Asturias and the University of Oviedo also join, thus consolidating an initiative that brings together hundreds of professionals from the Public Administration, the private sector and the academic field every year.

For three days, experts with proven experience and technical knowledge in geographic information will share their most innovative developments, work methodologies and success stories in the management and reuse of spatial data.

Two axes: artificial intelligence and the INSPIRE and HVDS regulatory framework

The central theme of this edition, "AI and territory: exploring the new frontiers of spatial knowledge", reflects the natural evolution of the sector towards the incorporation of emerging technologies. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and advanced analytics algorithms are radically transforming the way we process, analyze, and extract value from geospatial data.

This orientation towards AI is not accidental. The publication and use of geospatial data makes it possible to harness one of the most valuable digital assets for economic development, environmental monitoring, competitiveness, innovation and job creation. When this data is combined with artificial intelligence techniques, its potential multiplies exponentially.

The conference takes place at a particularly relevant time for the open data ecosystem. The INSPIRE Directive, together with Directive (EU) 2019/1024 on open data and re-use of public sector information, has established a regulatory framework that explicitly recognises the economic and social value of digital geospatial data.

The evolution in the publication of high-value datasets marks an important milestone in this process. These sets, characterized by their great potential for reuse, should be available free of charge, in machine-readable formats and through application programming interfaces (APIs). Geospatial data occupies a central position in this categorisation, underlining its strategic importance for the European open data ecosystem.

JIIDE 2025 will devote particular attention to presenting practical examples of re-use of these high-value datasets , both through the new OGC APIs and through traditional download services and established interoperable formats. This practical approach will allow attendees to learn about real cases of implementation and their tangible results.

Miscellaneous Program: Use Cases, AI, and Geospatial Data Reuse

You can also check the program here. Among the planned activities, there are sessions ranging from fundamental technical aspects to innovative applications that demonstrate the transformative potential of this data. The activities are organized into five main themes:

1. Spatial data structure and metadata.

2. Data management and publication.

3. Development of spatial  software.

4. Artificial intelligence.

5. Cooperation between agents.

Some of the highlighted topics are project management and coordination, where corporate systems such as the SIG of the Junta de Andalucía or the SITNA of the Government of Navarra will be presented. Earth observation will also feature prominently, with presentations on the evolution of the National Plan for Aerial Orthophotography (APNOA) programme  and advanced deep learning image processing techniques.

On the other hand, thematic visualisers also represent another fundamental axis, showing how spatial data can be transformed into accessible tools for citizens. From eclipse visualizers to tools for calculating the solar potential of rooftops, developments will be presented that demonstrate how the creative reuse of data can generate services of high social value.

Following the annual theme, the application of AI to geospatial data will be approached from multiple perspectives. Use cases will be presented in areas as diverse as the automatic detection of sports facilities, the classification of LiDAR point clouds, the identification of hazardous materials such as asbestos, or the optimization of urban mobility.

One of the most relevant sessions for the open data community will focus specifically on "Reuse and Open Government". This session will address the integration of spatial data infrastructures into open data portals, spatial data metadata according to the GeoDCAT-AP standard, and the application of data quality regulations.

Local governments play a key role in the generation and publication of spatial data. For this reason, the JIIDE 2025 will dedicate a specific session to the publication of local data, where municipalities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao or Cáceres will share their experiences and developments.

In addition to the theoretical sessions, the conferences include practical workshops on specific tools, methodologies and technologies. These workshops, lasting 45 minutes to an hour, allow attendees to experiment directly with the solutions presented. Some of them address the creation of custom web geoportals and others, for example, the implementation of OGC APIs, through advanced visualization techniques and metadata management tools.

Participate in person or online

The JIIDEs maintain their commitment to open participation, inviting both researchers and professionals to present their tools, technical solutions, work methodologies and success stories. In addition, the JIIDE 2025 will be held in hybrid mode, allowing both face-to-face participation in Oviedo and virtual monitoring.

This flexibility, maintained from the experiences of recent years, ensures that professionals throughout the Iberian territory and beyond can benefit from shared knowledge. Participation remains free, although prior registration is required for each session, roundtable or workshop.

Starting today, you can sign up and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and exchange experiences on geospatial data. Registration is available on the official website of the event: https://www.jiide.org/web/portal/inicio

Summer is coming to an end and giving way to an autumn that is full of relevant events for the open data sector and related technologies. At this time of year, you can take part in innovative competitions, learn about European data spaces and discuss the transformative power of data in society. Take note of these opportunities, many of them free. We bring you a compilation of trainings, conferences, events, competitions and much more.

Madrid City Council Open Data Competition

This year, for the first time, the Madrid City Council joins the promotion of open data with a new competition that seeks to promote the reuse of municipal public information to develop innovative solutions.

The challenge is clear: to turn data into useful, original and impactful ideas. If you think you can do it, below, we summarize the information you must take into account to compete.

• When? Until September 9.

• Where? You can submit your proposal online in any of these areas:

• More information: check the rules and participate here.

IX edition of the Open Data Contest of Castilla y León

The Regional Government of Castilla y León launches the ninth edition of its competition, to recognize projects that use open datasets from  the portal of the Junta de Castilla y León. These datasets can be combined, if the participants so wish, with other public or private sources, at any level of administration.

• When? Until September 22.

• Where? Applications may be submitted in person or through the electronic headquarters of the Junta de Castilla y León. The categories are:

• More information: access all the information here.

Free GIS Conferences

A reference meeting for professionals and enthusiasts of free Geographic Information Systems (GIS), where the latest trends in open geotechnologies will be presented.

This event is the perfect place to share knowledge, explore new tools and discuss topics such as:

• Visualization and spatial analysis.

• Webmapping and software development.

• Earth observation and data science.

• Geostatistics and machine learning.

• When? On September 17 and 18.

• Where? At the University of Girona, offering accommodation at the Hotel Carlemany.

• More information: see the full program.

XLI SEPLN Congress 2025 - Presence of the ILENIA Project

The International Congress of the Society for Natural Language Processing (SEPLN) celebrates its 41st edition this year. The main objective of this event is to provide a meeting space between the scientific community and industry to present and discuss the latest advances, challenges and applications of NLP.

This forum will be an excellent opportunity to share R+D+i projects, as well as to learn about success stories and practical applications that are transforming various sectors. In addition, the participation of new professionals  will be encouraged and will include the participation of the ILENIA project, an initiative that seeks to promote the new digital economy based on natural language in Spain.

• When? From 23 to 26 September.

• Where? In Zaragoza.

• More information: learn more about the event.

Webinar on the European Tourism Data Space

This webinar, organised by the European Open Data Portal, will address the deployment of the Common European Tourism Data Space (ETDS), a key initiative for the digitalisation of the tourism sector.

In this session, an expert from the project DEPLOYTOUR You'll share valuable insights into your goals, best practices, and lessons learned. In addition, two practical use cases (Pleiades and EONA-X) showing how the ETDS is applied in real tourism contexts, fostering cross-border collaboration and promoting the digitalisation and green transition of the sector.

• When? On September 12 from 10 am to 11 am (CET).

• Where? Virtual.

• More information: Register here.

EURegions Week

This event provides a communication and networking platform to foster cooperation, knowledge sharing, and address regional and urban challenges, including sessions focused on driving data-driven approaches. With a unique thematic focus each year, EURegionsWeek combines innovative and participatory sessions with traditional workshops, providing opportunities for collaboration and learning.

In addition, participation is completely free, and registration will be open until September 30.

• When? From 13 to 15 October.

• Where? In Brussels and online.

• More information: access the event information.

ENDORSE - The European Data Conference on Reference Data and Semantics

This European conference focused on semantic data is organised by the Publications Office of the European Union and will address the latest developments in data standards and interoperability. The theme of this edition is 'Reference Data and AI: Transforming Data into Action across Borders and Languages', a topic that has become even more relevant since the entry into force of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act on 1 August 2024.

In addition to the keynotes, ENDORSE 2025 will highlight a number of networking opportunities, allowing attendees to interact with experts through interactive workshops and panel discussions.

• When? On October 8 and 9.

• Where? In Brussels.

• Learn more: Key event details.

These are some of the events that are scheduled for this fall. In any case, don't forget to follow us on social networks so you don't miss any news about innovation and open data. We are on Instagram, X and LinkedIn, and you can also write to us at dinamizacion@datos.gob.es if you want us to include any other events to the list or if you need extra information.