Brussels: Europe and the Arabs

The European Commission in Brussels on Wednesday welcomed the political agreement reached late Tuesday evening between the European Parliament and the Council of the Union, which represents member states, on the European Data Law, proposed by the Commission in February 2022.
“Today, the Internet of Things (IoT) revolution is fueling exponential growth with the expected volume of data rising exponentially in the coming years. A large amount of industrial data remains unused and full of unrealized potential,” said a statement issued by the Commission.
The Data Act aims to boost the data economy in the EU by opening up industrial data, improving its accessibility and use, and promoting a competitive and reliable European cloud market. It seeks to ensure that everyone shares the benefits of the digital revolution.

In concrete terms, data law includes:

Actions that enable users of connected devices to access data generated by those devices and services related to those devices. Users will be able to share this data with third parties, promoting after-sales services and innovation. At the same time, manufacturers remain motivated to invest in generating high-quality data while their trade secrets remain protected.
Measures to provide protection against unfair contractual terms imposed unilaterally. These aim to protect EU companies from unfair agreements, promote fair negotiations and enable SMEs to participate more confidently in the digital market.
Mechanisms for public sector agencies to access and use data held by the private sector in situations of public emergency such as floods and wildfires, or when carrying out a legal mandate where required data is not readily available through other means.
New rules that give customers the freedom to switch between different cloud data processing service providers. These rules aim to promote competition and choice in the marketplace while preventing sellers from being locked up. In addition, the Data Act includes safeguards against illegal data transfers, ensuring a more reliable and secure data processing environment.
Measures to promote the development of interoperability standards for data sharing and data processing, in line with the EU's standardization strategy.
The political agreement reached by the European Parliament and Council is now subject to formal approval by the participating lawmakers. Once approved, the Data Law will enter into force on the 20th day after its publication in the Official Gazette and will become effective 20 months after its entry into force.
The Data Act complements the Data Governance Act of November 2020 by making clear who can create value from data and under what terms. It stems from the European Data Strategy, announced in February 2020, which aims to position the European Union first in the era of our data-driven society.
Collectively, these initiatives will create a single market that allows data to flow freely within the EU and across sectors. This will benefit consumers, businesses, researchers, public administrations and society. It will promote collaboration and innovation, empowering European industries and citizens with data-driven solutions.