The regulation aims to strengthen the privacy of internet users and other "smart" connected devices (through the "Internet of Things")
The European Data Regulation, which regulates the access and use of data produced in all sectors of the European Union's economy, officially comes into force on Thursday. As agreed, the regulation will come into force 20 months from its legal entry into force, i.e. on 11 September 2025.
The regulation aims to strengthen the privacy of internet users and other "smart" connected devices (through the "Internet of Things"), as well as the wider use of data in industry, including in the development of artificial intelligence applications.
Among other things, the regulation specifies who can create value from the data and under what conditions. At the same time, it aims to contribute to the creation of a competitive and innovative market for data.
"Through clear data laws we will give users control over the sharing of data generated by their connected devices, while ensuring the protection of trade secrets and the European fundamental right to privacy," explained the Commission's Executive Vice-President responsible for digital policy issues, Margrethe Vestager.
In turn, Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said the regulation would contribute to "the development of a thriving, innovative and open European data economy, on our own terms".
"European citizens and European businesses will benefit from the wealth of industrial data that will become available, leading to new applications based on the use of this data, including in the field of artificial intelligence," he added.
Among other things, the regulation enables users to access and share data generated by their devices, such as for car maintenance or repair purposes, it will give public services access to private sector data for crisis response purposes such as fires and floods, will protect small and medium-sized businesses from abusive practices, and allow consumers to easily switch cloud service providers.