DIGITALEUROPE Position paper - Making Europe Fit for the Data Economy

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The data economy provides endless opportunities for citizens, businesses and the environment. DIGITALEUROPE as the voice of Europe’s digital technology industry calls on policy-makers to put in place the right framework conditions that will enable the digital economy to thrive. While certain risks associated with Big Data must be addressed, the focus should lie on fostering its opportunities. The European Commission has taken an important first step in outlining possible elements of an EU action plan for advancing towards the data-driven economy of the future and addressing Europe’s future societal challenges. According to DIGITALEUROPE, such an action plan should focus on the following measures:

1. Adopt a harmonised, risk-based and modern EU framework for personal data protection that creates trust while at the same time enabling societally beneficial innovations in the data economy

2. Encourage the protection of Big Data applications from cyber-attacks, focusing regulatory efforts on truly critical infrastructures

3. Support the development of global, voluntary, market-driven and technology-neutral standards to ensure interoperability of datasets

4. Clarify the application of EU copyright rules so as to facilitate text and data mining

5. Boost the deployment of Open Data by transposing the Public Sector Information Directive into national law by June 2015 at the latest (EU Member States)

6. Create trust in cross-border data flows by supporting the implementation of the Trusted Cloud Europe recommendations

7. Continue addressing the data skills gap by supporting initiatives like the Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs

8. Continue encouraging private investment in broadband infrastructure and HPC technologies with public funding

DIGITALEUROPE stands ready to actively engage with the Commission, Parliament, Council and Member States in the further shaping of the action plan.