The European data space from a Swiss perspective

The EU plans to develop the European area into a common data economy. It assumes that a European data economy will increase the region's GDP by EUR 528 billion by 2025, create 5.2 million new highly qualified jobs and decisively strengthen Europe's position as an independent player in the global data economy.

A key component for realizing an EU data economy are data spaces in which data producers and users work together to exchange and use data securely and while respecting the rights of all participating and affected actors. It is too early to say whether the EU's approach will achieve its declared goals. At the very least, the EU's measures should provide the framework and building blocks to facilitate the development of a data economy.

What does this mean for Switzerland? How should Switzerland react to these developments, which will affect economic and non-economic actors? The answers must be developed gradually. In terms of quality, Switzerland must ensure its ability to connect to the emerging European data spaces. Switzerland should position itself along the value chain of data producers and data consumers.

This means the following, sorted by stakeholders:

• The actors in the data economy (companies, but also authorities as data producers and users) should quickly begin to evaluate and practically implement the possibilities of data spaces and data marketplaces. The possibilities range from tapping valuable data stocks to providing the infrastructure for data spaces or data marketplaces to developing innovative analysis skills.

• Legislators are called upon to develop a suitable legal framework for these activities. Particular attention should be paid to sustainable models and principles for forward-looking data governance. Data governance will be a crucial component for a successful data economy of the future.

• Civil society and the public in Switzerland should support policymakers in taking a leading role in the developing field of data governance. With its well-developed culture of discussion, its liberal tradition and its simple legislative tradition, Switzerland has a great deal to offer compared to many other legal systems.

Beyond these points, Switzerland could even take a leading role in the provision of infrastructures that allow secure data exchange in each sector. Switzerland rightly has the reputation of being a trustworthy, neutral partner. This advance of trust must be used. Politicians and administrators should support the responsible bodies (authorities, companies) in working together with the EU countries to build and operate sector-specific data spaces.

In terms of timing, such evaluations and activities derived from them should be given priority so that Switzerland's potential as a first mover for helping to shape the structures that are still under construction is not left untapped.