New EU Regulations Unlock High-Value Datasets to Boost AI and Data-Driven Innovation

On 9 June, new EU regulations mandating the availability of additional public datasets for reuse came into effect. These 'high-value datasets' cover six thematic areas specified in the Open Data Directive: geospatial, earth observation and environment, meteorological, statistics, companies, and mobility. 

The new regulations hold the potential to yield significant societal and economic benefits by driving the creation of innovative products and services, such as artificial intelligence applications. For instance, high-value datasets in the meteorological sector can enhance weather forecasting and related applications. Agricultural companies can utilize satellite imagery, weather data, and soil health information to implement precision farming techniques, thereby boosting crop yields and minimizing waste.

The official portal for European data is the most comprehensive resource for accessing open data, featuring over 1.7 million datasets from EU institutions, agencies, and Member States. The high-value datasets will be freely available in a machine-readable format, accessible via an Application Programming Interface (API) and, where applicable, as bulk downloads.