The European Commission launches a support centre for data sharing

The "Support Center for Data Sharing" (SCDS) is a new initiative funded by the European Commission with the aim of boosting the European data ecosystem. It is a website aimed at governments, companies and citizens, focused on researching and reporting about data sharing practices and those elements that drive their success.  SCDS seeks to facilitate data sharing, i.e. transactions in which data held by public sector or private sector are made available to other organisations (public or private) for reuse, regardless of the model chosen.

Do not confuse the "Support Center for Data Sharing" with an open data portal. The SDC focuses its efforts on collecting, developing and disseminating tools and technical expertise, as well as providing practical support for data transactions, but does not put data or metadata at the service of citizens. The European open data portal will remain the European Data Portal.

A first version of the web is currently available. The main version will be launched in autumn and will include the following sections - some of which are already available -:

• Information on what data sharing is and its benefits, such as increasing services performance and value or improving decision-making.
• Technical guidance, focused on 3 areas: Application Programming Interfaces (API), data security and traceability and clear identification of data sources. In addition to a support service, the SCDS will offer a section of Widgets and tools created by third parties to share data in real life.
• Legal guidance, which will include studies on EU legislation applicable to the sharing of non-personal data, cross-cutting challenges and possible resolution strategies, including good practices and interpretive guidance. Model contract terms will also be offered on the web.
• Success stories in data sharing, through the experience of companies such as JoinData, which stimulates sustainable innovation in the Dutch agricultural sector by facilitating farmers to share their data quickly, easily and safely.
• News and events. The web will collect news and events, which will allow users to know the latest trends and opportunities in data sharing.
• A forum where users will have the opportunity to share knowledge and experiences.

The idea is to create a participatory and constantly evolving environment that adapts to the needs of data reusers. For this, a contact form has been enabled, for data professional’s community and citizen to share their doubts and opinions.

With this initiative, the European Commission seeks to continue promoting the digital single market, providing a unique environment for the community of data professionals and contributing to the economic and social growth of the region.