Dataspaces – the future of data sharing and access

As digital technologies evolve, vast amounts of data are being generated across all parts of society – from healthcare, industry and transport to research, the public sector and everyday life. This data holds great potential to create value, yet access to it is often fragmented, unevenly distributed or insufficiently regulated. At the same time, many public and private actors find it difficult to share and use data in a secure and efficient way – one of the great dilemmas of the digital era.

Common data spaces for societal benefit and innovation

To harness the societal value and innovative potential that data can offer, the EU is working to establish so-called common European data spaces. These are structured, secure and trustworthy digital environments where data can be shared and used among different actors within specific sectors or societal domains – such as health, energy, mobility and agriculture.

»Data spaces are intended to enable data to be used in a more coordinated, responsible and value-creating way – for the benefit of society.«

The goal is to create a single market for data, where rules, standards and technical solutions support a data-driven ecosystem that respects individual rights while ensuring fair competition for businesses. By improving access to data – while maintaining integrity, security and control – the EU’s data spaces can contribute to better services, research, decision-making and sustainable growth.

Data for smart cities and communities in the Green Deal

The development of data spaces for smart cities and communities is part of the Green Deal data space and forms a central element of the EU’s ambition to transition towards a climate-neutral and sustainable society. By enabling efficient collection, sharing and use of data related to the environment, energy, mobility and urban planning, this data space aims to support the development of smart cities and communities – where digital technologies are used to make better decisions, improve quality of life and reduce climate impact.

Within the framework of the Green Deal, the goal is to create a reliable, interoperable and cross-sectoral data infrastructure where different actors – municipalities, public authorities, businesses and researchers – can share and use environmental and sustainability-related data. The focus is on improving governance, planning and innovation related to the green transition at local and regional levels. However, we are not there yet. 

The implications of data spaces for Swedish municipalities

For Swedish municipalities, the development of common data spaces brings both new opportunities and new responsibilities. As access to relevant and quality-assured data improves – in areas such as energy, transport, environment and public services – municipalities gain better conditions for making well-informed decisions, developing new digital services, and collaborating more effectively with other actors.

When data spaces are established, municipalities will be able to:

• Optimise resources and planning by using real-time data for, for example, electricity consumption, waste management or mobility.
• Develop more citizen-oriented services, for instance through apps or decision-support tools based on shared data and citizen dialogue – for travel planning, municipal services, or understanding how behaviours and choices affect climate and the environment.
• Participate in a European data-sharing ecosystem, where common standards and technical solutions enable interoperability across local, national and EU levels, allowing smart services to scale and spread.
• Strengthen climate action, with better tools to measure, simulate, monitor and manage progress towards sustainability goals.

At the same time, new demands arise for data competence, information security and investment in infrastructure. Municipalities therefore need to actively develop digital skills, collaboration and long-term data management to fully benefit from the opportunities that data spaces offer.

RISE actively supports municipalities on their digital journey and has long been involved in numerous research and innovation projects aimed at developing smart cities and communities. Guiding stakeholders on issues related to the development of data spaces is part of this work. We are happy to share insights, experiences and results – please contact our experts to learn more.