The European Year of Skills is an initiative of the European Union to tackle skills gaps and reinforce the EU skills strategy . This initiative seeks to equip individuals with the necessary skills for quality jobs while aiding small and medium enterprises in adapting to evolving workforce demands. Starting on 9 May 2023, the Year saw a multitude of events, this year with a focus on green and digital transitions. How does it work? The European Year of Skills enhances workforce capabilities and drives economic growth by promoting investment in training, aligning skills development with employer

Today we celebrate the 31st World Press Freedom Day , highlighting the indispensable role of the press, journalism, and the free flow of information in shaping a sustainable future that respects the rights of individuals and promotes gender equality. This year's theme, "A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of the Environmental Crisis", underscores the critical role of reliable information in safeguarding our planet, advancing sustainable development, and fortifying democracies. World Press Freedom Day 2024 is set to be a platform for diverse objectives , including assessing the

This month marks the launch of the 2024 Open Data Maturity (ODM) survey, i n which countries from across Europe report on the latest developments in open data. Information for the report is collected directly from open data representatives in the participating countries to gather insights about the behind-the-scenes efforts that power the portals and datasets we can all see and use. The outcome of this exercise is both a quantitative benchmarking of open data maturity and a compendium of success stories, best practices, and challenges that countries can reference in their efforts to

As the European Union prepares for its upcoming elections, the focus shifts towards reinforcing democratic principles and encouraging citizen engagement. Through the electoral process, citizens exercise their right to vote, shaping the future direction of the EU. However, challenges such as misinformation and transparency gaps persist, underscoring the need for reliable information and transparent governance. In response to these challenges, the EU has launched initiatives such as the Defence of Democracy package and the European Democracy Action Plan , which seek to strengthen democracy by

On 24 May 2024 from 10:00 to 11:30 CET , data.europa.eu will host the second workshop on the series ‘How to use open data for your research?’ . This workshop is designed for students, academics, and anyone else who is interested. The goal of the workshop is to highlight the availability and potential of open data on data.europa.eu for academic research and to deepen the understanding of open data by showcasing successful use cases of open data in research across various fields. The data.europa.eu team will open the workshop, introducing the concept of open data. The participants will then be

The Use Case Observatory , an initiative led by data.europa.eu , serves as comprehensive research aimed at evaluating the impact of open data across Europe between 2022 and 2025. This project focuses on analysing 30 reuse cases and aims to contribute with valuable insights to the broader goals of data.europa.eu while shedding light on the challenges and successes of open data reuse and impact assessment methodologies. Expanding on the findings from the first volume , this second volume selected 13 reuse cases out of the initial 30 and categorised them according to the four dimensions of open

The Council of Europe 's HELP programme is an educational initiative that offers training sessions for legal professionals across Europe. The courses cover a wide range of human rights topics, reflecting the diverse areas of work within the Council of Europe, and aiming to enhance the protection of human rights on a national level. The latest course on the platform addresses data protection in publication of judicial decisions . It defines personal data, and delves into collecting, using, and protecting them. As legal professionals navigate the complexities of data protection in the judicial

Spain's Open Data Portal , part of the Aporta Initiative launched in 2009, stands as a cornerstone in promoting public information openness and fostering advanced data-driven services. The platform, datos.gob.es , serves as a hub for administrations, businesses, and citizens engaged in Spain's open data ecosystem. Developed within the current legislative framework, the Aporta initiative encompasses seven key action lines reflected on the portal. These include sensitisation, analysis and statistics, regulation, national and international Cooperation, national catalog and support, and innovation

On 12 April 2024, from 10.00 to 11.30 CET, the Data.europa Academy hosted the webinar ‘Personal data management and altruism: how and when are individuals empowered to make data sharing decisions?’, concluding a series on the Data Governance Act (DGA). The first session delved into the DGA's legal framework, aiming to enhance data sharing in a secure and granular way, and explored the contrasts with the Open Data Directive . Over 500 people registered for this second session, which highlighted how the DGA introduces new ways for individuals to control and share their data, aligning with the

The European Commission's adoption of the Interoperable Europe Act marks a key development in enhancing the EU's digital public sector. This Act is set to create a network of interconnected digital public administrations, which not only strengthens cross-border collaboration but also accelerates Europe's digital transformation. At its core, the Act mandates interoperability assessments, ensuring IT system modifications align with the European Interoperability Framework and shared 'Interoperable Europe solutions' . Transparency is promoted via the publication of these assessments, steering