Mobility Data Spaces

Transforming Europe into a climate neutral economy by 2050 in line with the European Green Deal places a particular responsibility on the transport sector, which accounts for a quarter of the Union’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Specifically, transport will have to collectively reduce its GHG emissions by 90% by mid-century compared to 1990 levels. This will require advancing digitalisation and the use of data in all modes of transport, including passenger and freight segments. Notwithstanding, data availability, access and exchange in the transport sector today continue to be hampered due to unclear regulatory conditions, the lack of an EU market for data provision, the absence of an obligation to collect and share data, incompatible tools and systems for data collection and sharing, different standards, or data sovereignty concerns, among others.

The European strategy for data aims to establish a single market for data where data can be accessed and used efficiently. This will include the creation of a common European mobility data space to facilitate access, pooling, and sharing of transport and mobility data. In this special issue of the Network Industries Quarterly, invited authors critically discuss the opportunities and challenges of building such a mobility data space.

The first contribution by Almasy and de Linde discusses the transformative potential of common European data spaces, and highlights the benefits and challenges involved in implementing them, with a focus on the mobility and transport sector.

The second contribution by Bücking, Drees, Gavaud, Gruber, Hoffmann, Thelisson and van Veenendaal tries to define possible roles of National Access Points in the European Mobility Data Space.

Valkokari explores three layers of data sharing in the context of urban mobility by means of an illustrative case study.

Antoniola analyses Mobility Data Spaces from different angles (EU, national and local) with a focus on the role of local governments.

Matthias Finger

Publication Director