Fifth Gaia-X Summit brought Europe's leading data economy experts to Helsinki

Europe's leading data infrastructure and data economy experts met for the fifth time at the largest-ever Gaia-X Summit, held in Helsinki on 14 and 15 November 2024. Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne gave the opening address at the event.

Based on previous cooperation between Germany and France, the Gaia-X project brings together hundreds of businesses and organisations to develop a European open data architecture. Data architecture refers to data sharing rules and compatible standardised solutions that help share data between organisations and create means for geographic data management.

The summit presented the work and results of the network of Gaia-X Hubs, or national contact points, which have expanded outside the EU Member States.

“We need to work even harder together to get our share of the global growth in the data economy. Europe has potential, but in order to leverage it in global competition, we must find ways to strengthen trust. The Gaia-X network and solutions play a major role in promoting the data economy and innovation,” said Minister of Transport and Communications Lulu Ranne.

Before the Gaia-X Summit, the Ministry of Transport and Communications held an event in the evening of 13 November 2024 to discuss the EU policy measures required to boost growth in the data economy responsibly in the age of artificial intelligence.

What’s next?

In spring 2024, the Ministry of Transport and Communications signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a national community of organisations, Data Spaces Alliance Finland, by the end of 2024. Together with businesses and the public sector, the Alliance will support the data space development in Finland and the Gaia-X project.

Inquiries:

Maria Rautavirta, Director of Unit, tel. +358 295 342 564, [email protected]