The European Data Act is a regulation aimed at fostering a more competitive and innovative data economy within the European Union. It focuses on making data, particularly data generated by connected products and related services, more accessible and usable, while also ensuring fair access and user rights. The act establishes rules on who can access and use data, promoting a more balanced distribution of the benefits derived from data.

Knowledge of underlying EU policies and legislations is a key element in Digital Europe proposals as they play an important role in the “relevance” evaluation criterion. This Policy Briefing is one of several briefings prepared by DEP4ALL, the NCP Network for the Digital Europe programme, to support applicants with summaries of relevant EU initiatives.