Understanding open data licensing: Insights from 1.8 million datasets

One of our latest reports available on data.europa.eu, the ‘Report on licence usage on the data.europa.eu portal’, is a study that provides a comprehensive analysis of how different licensing choices impact the accessibility and usability of open data. This report offers valuable guidance for data providers and data re-users.

Licensing plays a crucial role in the open data ecosystem. While open data is meant to be free for everyone to use, licences define how data can be accessed, modified, and shared. The study examines over 1.8 million datasets on data.europa.eu and identifies more than 400 different licences in use. This diversity, while sometimes necessary, can also create barriers to data reuse, particularly when licences impose restrictive conditions or vary between regions.

One of the report's key findings is the prominence of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) licence, which is widely used as it allows for flexible data reuse while ensuring proper attribution. However, the analysis also highlights challenges associated with national and sector-specific licences, which can complicate cross-border data sharing. To address these issues, the report provides recommendations for adopting standardised licences, reducing complexity, and increasing transparency in licensing practices.

By following the insights outlined in this study, data providers can enhance the impact of open data, ensuring it remains accessible, interoperable, and easy to use across Europe. Read the full report to discover practical recommendations for improving data licensing strategies.

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