Understanding open data licensing: Insights from 1.8 million datasets
One of our latest reports available on data.europa.eu
[https://data.europa.eu/en], the ‘Report on licence usage on the
data.europa.eu portal’
[https://data.europa.eu/en/publications/reports/report-licence-usage-dataeuropaeu-portal],
is a study that provides a comprehensive analysis of how different
licensing choices impact the accessibility and usability of open data.
This report offers valuable guidance for data providers and data
re-users.

Licensing plays a crucial role in the open data ecosystem. While open
data is meant to be free for everyone to use, licences define how
data can be accessed, modified, and shared. The study examines
over 1.8 million datasets on data.europa.eu
[https://data.europa.eu/en] and identifies more than 400 different
licences in use. This diversity, while sometimes necessary, can also
create barriers to data reuse, particularly when licences impose
restrictive conditions or vary between regions.

One of the report's key findings is the prominence of the Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0
[https://interoperable-europe.ec.europa.eu/licence/creative-commons-attribution-40-international-cc-40]
(CC BY 4.0) licence, which is widely used as it allows for flexible
data reuse while ensuring proper attribution. However, the analysis
also highlights challenges associated with national and
sector-specific licences, which can complicate cross-border data
sharing. To address these issues, the report provides recommendations
for adopting standardised licences, reducing complexity, and
increasing transparency in licensing practices.

By following the insights outlined in this study, data providers can
enhance the impact of open data, ensuring it remains accessible,
interoperable, and easy to use across Europe. Read the full report
[https://data.europa.eu/sites/default/files/report/Report%20on%20licence%20usage%20on%20the%20data.europa.eu%20portal.pdf]
to discover practical recommendations for improving data licensing
strategies.

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Publication Date/Time
2025-02-14T09:00:00+00:00
An analysis of licensing trends on data.europa.eu for easier access to
open data