Beyond rankings: How new profiles and clusters are shaping Europe’s open data future
A new EU framework moved beyond rankings to deliver contextual insights.
Europe’s open data landscape is evolving rapidly, and so is the way in which we measure progress. In the latest report, titled ‘Framework for Open Data Maturity – Country Profiles and Clusters’, we mark a significant shift from traditional ranking systems towards a more nuanced approach. The report introduces tools that help policymakers understand the strategies behind success, which is crucial as the EU continues to prioritise data-driven governance across member states.
The report highlights two new innovations: descriptive profiles and macro clusters. Profiles categorise countries based on governance models, funding strategies, and data quality approaches, ranging from top-down governance to hybrid models. Macro clusters can group countries by socio-economic and political context, such as the Baltic cluster. These insights go beyond ranking, offering a clearer picture of how different nations tackle open data challenges and what lessons can be shared among peers.
By identifying profiles and clusters, the framework enables more targeted collaboration and policy support, which is key for supporting open data initiatives. Countries can learn from peers with similar contexts rather than relying on generic best practices. This approach strengthens the foundations of open data ecosystems, improving data quality, portal development, and funding allocation, aligning also with the EU Open Data Directive.
This report goes beyond serving as an analysis, as it is also a pilot for future editions. Plans include integrating these profiles and clusters into interactive dashboard, enabling automated comparisons and dynamic insights. As Europe moves forward, the data journey continues and is defined not just by maturity scores, but by contextual intelligence and meaningful collaboration.
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