News and highlights

Energy systems across Europe are under pressure to become more resilient, efficient, and sustainable. Data plays a key role in the transition, helping public and private actors better understand energy use, intergrade renewables and respond to crises. To explore this topic in depth, the data.europa academy is hosting a webinar on energy data, open to everyone interested in open data and Europe’s green future. The webinar ‘reusing energy data: working towards a smarter and greener Europe’ will take place on Friday, 22 May 2026, from 10:00 -11:00 CEST. Participants will learn how energy data can

The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is set to turn Vienna into the musical heart of Europe once again. As one of the world’s largest live music events, Eurovision brings together millions of viewers, artists, and fans under the long ‑ standing motto ‘United by Music’. Beyond glittering performances and cross ‑ border voting, the contest also highlights how large ‑ scale cultural events rely on data to connect audiences, optimise organisation, and enhance the fan experience. The 70th edition of Eurovision will take place in Vienna, Austria, with semi ‑ finals on Tuesday, 12 May and Thursday, 14

Every year on 9 May, Europe Day marks a defining moment in European history. On this day in 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman presented the Schuman Declaration , proposing closer cooperation between European countries to secure lasting peace after the devastation of the Second World War. This vision laid the foundations for what would later become the European Union , built on cooperation, shared responsibility, and mutual trust. More than seventy years later, Europe Day continues to celebrate unity and peace across the continent. It is an opportunity to reflect on how European

The European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) offers a yearly snapshot of how well Europe performs in research and innovation. Released on 15 July 2025, the latest edition compares the innovation performance of EU Member States, neighbouring European countries, and selected global competitors. By tracking progress over time, the EIS helps policymakers, researchers, and businesses understand how national innovation systems are evolving and where further action is needed. At its core, the EIS answers a simple question: how strong are national innovation systems, and where can they improve? To do this

The European Green Deal remains the EU’s main roadmap for becoming climate-neutral by 2050, but in recent months this ambition has become contested. While the European Commission continues to push climate action, several targets and rules are being revised amid economic pressures, geopolitical instability and competitiveness. Regardless, the core objective of significantly cutting greenhouse gas emissions and reaching net zero by 2050 remains legally binding. One of the most significant recent developments is the debate around the proposed 2040 emissions reduction target. The Commission has

In April 2025, the European Commission presented the AI Continent Action Plan , setting out a clear course for strengthening Europe’s position in the global development and use of artificial intelligence (AI). The plan responds to the rapid acceleration of AI worldwide and the need for Europe to move faster in adopting these technologies across its economy and public sector. While AI is already being used in areas such as healthcare, energy, and mobility, adoption within the EU remains uneven, especially among small organisations and public administrations. Rather than introducing new

Albania has launched an upgraded national open data portal , bringing together public sector data in one place to make it easier to find, reuse, and compare information. The portal is part of Albania’s commitments under the Open Government Partnerships which aims to support transparency, accountability, and data-driven decision-making across local government and society. The portal covers a wide range of topics, including public finance, health, education, environment, and business statistics. Datasets can be browsed by theme or institution and downloaded in machine-readable formats, including

World Intellectual Property Day, observed annually on 26 April, was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to promote a better understanding of intellectual property and its role in society. The date marks the entry into force of the WIPO Convention in 1970. Today, the initiative highlights why protecting inventions, brands, and creative work remains essential for innovation, investment, and economic development in a global and increasingly data‑driven world. Intellectual property systems do more than grant legal protection. Each patent application, trademark

The European Data Governance Act (DGA) marked an important step in the EU’s efforts to make more data available for reuse while keeping trust and legal safeguards in place. The Act was designed to unlock data that cannot be shared openly, such as sensitive public sector, business-to-government or personal data, and to do so in a safe and controlled way. During its first year of application, Member States began establishing national single information points for protected public sector data, while the European Commission developed common tools, guidance and registries to support a more

The European Union has created a European register that helps people discover public sector datasets which are not able to be shared as open data. The European Register for Protected Data held by the Public Sector (ERPD) is available through the European Data Portal and supports the reuse of valuable data while respecting privacy, confidentiality, and intellectual property rules. The register was created under the Data Governance Act , which recognises that some information held by public bodies, such as health, mobility, or business data, cannot be published openly. Instead, public