News and highlights

The European Union’s public sector information (PSI) directive has played a central role in transforming how government-held data is accessed and re-used across Europe. Initially, the directive established a common legal framework requiring Member States to make public sector data available for re-use, both commercially and non-commercially. The aim was not to regulate access but to remove barriers to re-use, stimulate innovation, and support a competitive internal market for data-driven services. Over time, the directive has evolved to keep pace with technological change and growing

Serbia’s national open data portal, data.gov.rs , serves as the central access point for open datasets published by public institutions across the country. Managed by the Office for Information Technology and eGovernment, the portal brings together data from ministries, agencies, and local authorities, making them freely available for anyone to explore, download, and reuse. The goal is to increase transparency, improve public services and create new value through data. At its core, the portal offers searchable datasets across several themes, including finance, health, education, mobility, and

What would your city look like if it were climate ‑ neutral? Quieter streets, cleaner air, smarter transport, and neighbourhoods designed with people at their centre. Across Europe, cities are starting to turn this vision into reality. Through the EU Cities Mission , urban areas are becoming living laboratories where climate solutions are tested, improved, and shared for the benefit of all European cities. The mission, launched under Horizon Europe , aims to support 100 European cities in becoming climate ‑ neutral by 2030, while ensuring they act as experimentation and innovation hubs so that

As Europe moves towards a more data ‑ driven economy, the ability to share data securely and fairly has become essential. From health and mobility to energy and culture, data is increasingly created across sectors that need to work together. The Data Spaces Support Centre (DSSC) was established to help make this cooperation possible, supporting the development of common European data spaces that respect European values while unlocking economic and societal benefits. Funded by the European Union’s Digital Europe Programme , the DSSC supports public authorities, businesses, and initiatives that

Public administrations across Europe increasingly rely on data to deliver digital services. But when organisations use different data definitions, even simple exchanges become complex and costly. To address this issue, the European Commission published e-government core vocabularies on the Interoperable Europe portal. These vocabularies provide a shared, practical data language that helps public bodies describe people, organisations, locations, and services in a consistent way. Core vocabularies are simplified, reusable, and extensible data models. They focus on the essentials needed to

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