“Data means any digital representation of acts, facts or information and any compilation of such acts, facts or information, including in the form of sound, visual or audiovisual recording.” - European Data Governance Act
Data has become a key resource for the development of our society and economy in this digital era. The volume of data worldwide is significantly growing: simultaneously, cloud services are expanding, with data protection in the cloud becoming a central aspect in all sectors.
Excellence in data management and sharing will benefit European citizens and businesses in many ways. The term “big data” is being used more often than ever, creating the need for more research, new tools, and new skills to make the best use of it – and Europe is lagging behind in highly-skilled data scientists, needed across economic sectors: from policy making to business development, through education and learning.
The European Commission estimates that by 2025, data experts in Europe will reach 10.9 million (compared to 5.7 million in 2018). A range of EU initiatives have been launched to support the European approach to excellence in data. Cloud computing is a key objective to increase Europe's data sovereignty as outlined in the European Data Strategy. The future European Alliance on Industrial Data, Edge and Cloud and other related actions will support businesses and employees use of big data as a driver of the digital transformation.
Following the European Data Strategy, in February 2022 the Commission proposed a new Data Act, a key pillar of the Strategy. "We want to give consumers and companies even more control over what can be done with their data, clarifying who can access data and on what terms", Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, said presenting the new rules. The Data Act will ensure fairness by setting up rules regarding the use of data generated by Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Also, the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) is investing in learning and training opportunities that will enhance the knowledge in Cloud and Data in Europe. The new Work Programmes for 2021-2022 set out part of the actions to be implemented in the first two years, outlining the objectives and specific topic areas that will receive a total of €1.98 billion in funding. Three calls within this first set tackle advanced digital skills, including Cloud Computing and Data.
This page will take you through EU and national initiatives, to resources, training, funding and career opportunities, and other up-to-date information with regards to data and cloud services. Scroll down the page to see more!
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