For Data Owners

Data Ownership and Secure Data Sharing in the Cloud

With the increasing abundance of data in the cloud, data ownership has become complex, posing the potential risk of losing control and oversight. Data sharing presents both opportunities and risks, but it requires a secure system for data in transit and in the cloud for data owners to unlock its full potential. 

Routine reporting obligations to various stakeholders, such as governments, market participants, suppliers, and clients, call for data extraction from sources like energy providers, transport management systems, and bookkeeping records. This process becomes challenging with confusion over data ownership and secure data sharing practices, which allow selective access to specific data sets. 

For example, granting the Statistics Agency access to essential transportation data within the Transport Management System saves time and enhances efficiency.

Support from the European Commission

The European Commission’s Data Governance Act (DGA) underscores the importance of data owners maintaining clear control over their data. The iSHARE Trust Framework aligns with DGA principles, empowering organisations to grant specific access to their data securely. Under the iSHARE Trust Framework, data owners are legally protected through Non-Disclosure Agreements, ensuring adherence to licensing terms and selective data sharing.

The European Commission firmly supports the cause of data owners, as evident in the new Data Governance Act (DGA), and emphasises the importance of data owners maintaining clear control over their data. The iSHARE Trust Framework aligns with the DGA principles, empowering organisations to grant specific access to their existing data in a federated manner, whether residing on cloud-based or on-site platforms with structured data, such as SAP or other ERP systems.

Upholding the DGA principles, the development of trustworthy data-sharing systems will be enhanced through four broad sets of measures:

1. Mechanisms designed to facilitate the reuse of specific public sector data that may not be suitable for open data availability. 
2. Measures that aim to ensure that data intermediaries function as reliable organisers, facilitating data sharing or pooling within the common European data spaces. 
3. Efforts to simplify the process for citizens and businesses, making it easier for them to contribute their data for the greater benefit of society. 
4. Measures to facilitate data sharing, specifically by enabling cross-sector and cross-border utilisation of data. This approach ensures that the right data can be accessed for the right purpose, promoting a seamless and effective sharing ecosystem. 

Joining a data space and leveraging the iSHARE Trust Framework as a data owner is a straightforward process. Here’s how it works:

1. Plan Implementation: Develop a detailed plan for joining and collaborating with the data space, determining the legal foundation and the required level of trust.
2. Register as a Data Owner: Once the implementation plan is in place, register as a data owner for one of the data spaces.
3. Onboarding Process: Complete a simplified onboarding process through the Participant Registry or other data space-specific interface. Set up paperwork or sign Accession Agreements to register digitally signed contracts and convert them into digitally verifiable credentials within the network.
4. Register with an AR Service Provider: Proceed to register with an Authorisation Registry service provider. 
5. Recognize Data to Share: Identify specific data to share and/or identify a service provider to act on behalf.

Follow these steps to effectively join a data space and utilise the iSHARE Trust Framework to manage and share your data securely.

The iSHARE Trust Framework offers a robust solution for data owners to navigate the complexities of data ownership and secure data sharing in the cloud. By aligning with the principles of the European Commission’s Data Governance Act (DGA) and providing a straightforward process for joining data spaces, the iSHARE Trust Framework empowers organisations to maintain control over their data while facilitating secure and efficient sharing practices.