Ministry of Transport and Communications joins Data Spaces Alliance Finland

The Ministry of Transport and Communications has joined as a founding member to the Data Spaces Alliance Finland cooperation network. The Alliance brings together the leading Finnish data business organisations. The network is composed of 22 companies, public bodies and research institutes.

Besides the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the members are 1001 Lakes, Business Finland, CSC, DataSpace Europe, Fintraffic, Headai, Loihde, National Land Survey of Finland, MyData Global, Nokia, Nordic Institute for Interoperability Solutions (NIIS), Platform of Trust, Siili Solutions, Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, SIX Mobile Work Machines, Smart City Innovation Cluster (SCIC), Struggle Creative, Technology Industries, TIEKE Finnish Information Society Development Centre and VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland.

The establishment of the Data Spaces Alliance Finland was published on 10 April 2024 at the end of the Nordic Data Festival 2024. The 22 founding members of the Alliance signed a letter of intent concerning a light administrative model for goal-oriented cooperation among the organisations.

Aim to promote competitiveness of Finnish actors

Data spaces are entities composed of common principles and ground rules that are intended for sharing and utilising data in a certain sector or between sectors.

Data spaces create opportunities for companies to grow faster and produce innovations. They ensure access to important resources and enable the sale and sharing of data between several operators. Data space technologies support the development of AI solutions.

Bringing together the key players and active data space projects promotes their seamless collaboration and the competitiveness of Finnish actors in the European data economy and in broader international contexts. 

The activities of the Alliance are based on cooperation models that have proven effective in e.g. Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria, and on lessons learned from Finnish data space projects concerning different fields.

Ministry promotes building of data spaces as part of Digital Compass

The Ministry is active in promoting the development work on data spaces as part of Finland’s Digital Compass. The implementation of the measures included in the implementation plan is under way. The plan specifies the actions of different ministries to promote the data interoperability structures. 

The responsibilities of the Ministry of Transport and Communications include the description of the current situation and preparation of a roadmap to develop the data interoperability structure and support the targeting of financing to data space projects. The Ministry will also ensure that the regulation in its administrative branch is up to date.

The Digital Compass and its implementation plan will strengthen cooperation both within the Government and across society. The Ministry sees the Alliance as the key network for promoting practical projects and standardised solutions and for ensuring common progress.

Inquiries

role of the Ministry of Transport and Communications in the Alliance:
Merita Erkkilä, Senior Specialist, merita.erkkila(at)gov.fi, tel. +358 295 342 136

Data Spaces Alliance Finland:
Anssi Komulainen, Project Director, Sitra, anssi.komulainen(at)sitra.fi, tel. +358 400 129 524