Position paper - European Commission’s Consultation on the Data Act

The American Chamber of Commerce to the EU (AmCham EU) shares the objectives of the European Commission to increase access to and further the (re-)use of data through the proposed ‘Data Act’. In order to ensure the Data Act meets its stated objectives, it should focus on promoting greater voluntary data sharing in order to boost economic growth, research and innovation, competitiveness, job creation and to achieve Europe’s digital transformation objectives. It should also ensure that international data flows are protected and encouraged, as they are not only vital to the European and global economy but also to the enhanced data sharing and re-use scenarios the Commission has identified. In order to ensure the Data Act meets its stated objectives, the Commission should address key overarching issues - outlined in the paper below - which require clarification and should be prioritised when analysing the proposal.