EU says which high-value public datasets must be opened up

Finalised list of free-to-use data published, nearly four years after plan set out

The EU has published a list of publicly owned datasets that agencies must make openly available, including for research purposes, at no cost to users. The finalisation of the list, which includes Earth observation and environment-related records, follows the passage of a directive on open data in 2019.

“With the new list of high-value datasets, published today, we are unlocking a large amount of public data for the benefit of all,” said EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton on 20 January. “Startups and small and medium-sized enterprises will be able to use this data to develop new products and innovative solutions that improve the lives of citizens in the EU and around the world.”