European health data space: Unlocking healthcare innovation through
open data
The European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulation
[https://health.ec.europa.eu/ehealth-digital-health-and-care/european-health-data-space-regulation-ehds_en],
now in force, marks a major step forward in how health data is
accessed and reused across the EU. A new report published on the
European Data Portal [https://data.europa.eu/en] explores the impact
of the EHDS and its interaction with the Open Data Directive (ODD)
[https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?qid=1561563110433&uri=CELEX:32019L1024],
highlighting how these two frameworks can work together to benefit
patients, healthcare providers, policymakers and researchers. 

The EHDS enables secure access to personal health data for care and
research, while the ODD promotes the reuse of public sector data,
including aggregated health statistics. Together, they create new
opportunities for data-driven innovation. The report presents
real-world use cases, such as a patient using open data to find
shorter waiting times abroad, and researchers in France combining
environmental noise data with prescription data to study sleep health.
These examples show how open and protected data can be combined to
improve healthcare outcomes and inform policy. 

Open data plays a foundational role in this ecosystem. By linking EHDS
data with datasets available on platforms like the European Data
Portal [https://data.europa.eu/en], stakeholders can build smarter
tools, improve transparency, and support personalised care. However,
challenges remain: patients and healthcare providers often lack the
tools and skills to combine data, and policymakers need support to
make full use of these resources. 

This report calls for increased data literacy, better integration of
tools into healthcare systems, and continued monitoring of EHDS
implementation. As the EHDS evolves, combining it with open data will
be key to building a more inclusive, innovative and data-driven
healthcare system across Europe. You can read the full report
[https://data.europa.eu/en/publications/reports/impact-european-health-data-space-regulation-and-open-data-directive-citizens]
on our website to explore these insights and learn more about how open
data and the EHDS are shaping the future of healthcare in Europe. 

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Publication Date/Time
2025-10-22T08:00:00+00:00
Explore how combining open data and health data can empower citizens,
improve care, and drive research