Commission urges national governments to embrace potential of Big Data

In the press release Vice-President of the European Commission, Ms. Neelie Kroes re-emphasised her well documented sentiments regarding the value of Big Data and as such stressed the need for national governments to focus on the positive aspects of Big Data.

The article did not reveal anything new in terms of future Commission action in the remit of data and its sole purpose is geared towards allaying the concerns of Member States concerning Big Data. In this regard, the article outlines the main problems identified in public consultations and the main concrete actions employed to solve these problems including:

• Lack of cross-border coordination
• Insufficient infrastructure and funding opportunities
• A shortage of data experts and related skills
• Fragmented and overly complex legal environment”

Personalised medicine is one of the main concrete actions proposed today to solve these problems, alongside the following:

• A Big Data public-private partnership that funds “game-changing” big data ideas, in areas such as personalised medicine;
  
• Create an open data incubator (within the Horizon 2020 framework), to help SMEs set up supply chains based on data and use cloud computing more;
• Propose new rules on "data ownership" and liability of data provision for data gathered via Internet of Things (Machine to Machine communication);
• Mapping of data standards, identifying potential gaps;
• Establish a series of Supercomputing Centres of Excellence to increase number of skilled data workers in Europe;
• Create network of data processing facilities in different Member States.

The Commission also mentioned it intentions to up-scale the following actions:

• Expanding investment in 5G technology through international agreements such as June agreement between European Commission and South Korea;
  
• Best practice guidelines for public authorities and open data.
  

The press release can be accessed here