Data for the common good in the common European data space

The EU’s Common European Data Space (CEDS) aims to create a single market for data-sharing in Europe, build trust among stakeholders, uphold European values, and benefit society. However, there is the possibility that the values of the EU and the benefits for the common good of European society may...

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Main Authors: Olga M.C. van der Valk, Mark Ryan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-01-01
Series:Data & Policy
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2632324925000057/type/journal_article
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author Olga M.C. van der Valk
Mark Ryan
author_facet Olga M.C. van der Valk
Mark Ryan
author_sort Olga M.C. van der Valk
collection DOAJ
description The EU’s Common European Data Space (CEDS) aims to create a single market for data-sharing in Europe, build trust among stakeholders, uphold European values, and benefit society. However, there is the possibility that the values of the EU and the benefits for the common good of European society may get overlooked for the economic benefits of organisations if norms and social values are not considered. We propose that the concept of “data commons” is relevant for defining openness versus enclosure of data in data spaces and is important when considering the balance and trade-off between individual (market) versus collective (societal) benefits from data-sharing within the CEDS. Commons are open-access resources governed by a group, either formally by regulation or informally by local customs. The application of the data commons to the CEDS would promote data-sharing for the “common good.” However, we propose that the data commons approach should be balanced with the market-based approach to CEDS in an inclusive hybrid data governance approach that meets material, price-driven interests, while stimulating collective learning in online networks to form social communities that offer participants a shared identity and social recognition.
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spelling doaj-art-c5a8cba3dc3f4802a4fc3011dde04a112025-08-20T02:06:28ZengCambridge University PressData & Policy2632-32492025-01-01710.1017/dap.2025.5Data for the common good in the common European data spaceOlga M.C. van der Valk0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5457-2117Mark Ryan1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4850-0111Wageningen University and Research, The Hague, The NetherlandsWageningen University and Research, The Hague, The NetherlandsThe EU’s Common European Data Space (CEDS) aims to create a single market for data-sharing in Europe, build trust among stakeholders, uphold European values, and benefit society. However, there is the possibility that the values of the EU and the benefits for the common good of European society may get overlooked for the economic benefits of organisations if norms and social values are not considered. We propose that the concept of “data commons” is relevant for defining openness versus enclosure of data in data spaces and is important when considering the balance and trade-off between individual (market) versus collective (societal) benefits from data-sharing within the CEDS. Commons are open-access resources governed by a group, either formally by regulation or informally by local customs. The application of the data commons to the CEDS would promote data-sharing for the “common good.” However, we propose that the data commons approach should be balanced with the market-based approach to CEDS in an inclusive hybrid data governance approach that meets material, price-driven interests, while stimulating collective learning in online networks to form social communities that offer participants a shared identity and social recognition.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2632324925000057/type/journal_articledata commonsdata spacescommon European data spacesdata governancevaluesdata-sharing
spellingShingle Olga M.C. van der Valk
Mark Ryan
Data for the common good in the common European data space
Data & Policy
data commons
data spaces
common European data spaces
data governance
values
data-sharing
title Data for the common good in the common European data space
title_full Data for the common good in the common European data space
title_fullStr Data for the common good in the common European data space
title_full_unstemmed Data for the common good in the common European data space
title_short Data for the common good in the common European data space
title_sort data for the common good in the common european data space
topic data commons
data spaces
common European data spaces
data governance
values
data-sharing
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2632324925000057/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT olgamcvandervalk dataforthecommongoodinthecommoneuropeandataspace
AT markryan dataforthecommongoodinthecommoneuropeandataspace