Since 2011, the Piemonte Region, in the north of Italy, has been very active in country's open data landscape, enacting a regional law on the publication and reuse of public data via the internet. With 1256 datasets and 14 themes, Piemonte’s Open Data Portal's success reached national attention , positioning it as a model for other Regions. Thanks to a cloud-based initiative to enhance data sharing and use, Piemonte was awarded for the best project for digitalisation in the public sector. The open data portal provides for a wide array of data, and is integrated with the Yucca-Smart Data

From 2 to 8 March 2024, we celebrate the Open Data Day (ODD) , an annual global event dedicated to supporting the culture of open data. Since it was established in 2010, the Open Data Day has been instrumental in promoting the use of open data within communities worldwide, fostering innovation, transparency, and collaboration. This year's ODD, organised by the Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN) , involves collaboration from organisations such as Jokkolabs Banjul (Gambia) , Open Knowledge Germany , Open Knowledge Ghana , and Open Knowledge Nepal , all members of the Open Knowledge Network . To

Today we celebrate the 10th anniversary Zero Discrimination Day, organised by the United Nations and UNAIDS. This year marks its 10th anniversary, a powerful reminder of the fundamental right of every individual to live a life free from discrimination, with dignity and respect. It emphasises the importance of promoting inclusion, compassion, and peace, fostering a global movement for positive change, which starts from spreading awareness and share data about discrimination and unfair treatment. A powerful reminder of the fundamental right of every individual to live a life free from

In justice systems worldwide, the transparency of data is vital for trust and fairness towards the citizens. However, when there is a failure in processing data management effectively, public trust in the justice system diminishes. Therefore, it is important for courts to demonstrate openness and clarity in their data usage. What specific measures are European courts implementing to improve transparency and ensure that their data handling practices are more accessible and understandable to the public? Open data can be an effective tool to improve transparency in judicial practices. When data

On Friday 16 February 2024, from 10.00 to 11.30 CET, the data.europa academy hosted the webinar ‘Open data maturity 2023: best practices across Europe‘ which highlighted Slovakia's and Serbia's accomplishments in the field of open data. With nearly 600 registrants, the event underscored the growing interest and commitment to open data across the continent. An expert from data.europa.eu initiated the session by presenting the ODM results , setting the stage for in-depth country analyses. Following this introduction, the narrative shifted to Serbia . In just two years, Serbia demonstrated

Today we celebrate the World Day of Social Justice , which underscores the importance of fostering a society where equity and fairness are not just ideals but realities for us all. Initiated by the United Nations, this day serves as a collective call to action, aiming to spotlight issues of poverty, exclusion, gender equality, unemployment, human rights, and social protections. A recent article from Harvard highlights the indispensable role of open data in addressing public health inequities, pointing out the broader implications for social justice. The lack of equity in data availability

For forty years, the EU Framework Programmes have been pivotal in shaping research and innovation within Europe. Since 1984, these programmes, have systematically supported scientific and technological advancements. Horizon Europe , the latest iteration with a budget of 95.5 billion Euro, aims to bridge the gap between research and its practical, societal applications. The EU Framework Programme for research initially focused on coordinating community-level research initiatives. However, through various iterations and Treaty modifications, it evolved into a crucial financial and strategic tool

On 1 March 2024 , from 10:00 to 11:00 CET , our webinar on "New b usiness m odels for d ata- d riven s ervices" is set to provide fresh insights into the utilisation of open data. Th e event, building on the data.europa.eu discussion paper , aims to explore how public sector information, when made available as open data, can be purposefully re-used to creat e value for both public and private sectors . In recent years, the focus on open data has shifted towards understanding and meeting end-user needs. Th e webinar will examine the potential of open data in Europe, exploring how it can drive

This year marks the fifth anniversary of RescEU, an initiative by the European Commission that has strengthened disaster response mechanisms across Europe. Established to extend the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, RescEU embodies a deep commitment to protecting citizens from diverse disasters and managing emerging risks effectively. Since its launch in 2019, RescEU has served as a robust reserve of European capacities, fully funded by the EU. This includes a fleet of firefighting aircraft, medical evacuation planes, and critical medical supplies and field hospitals, ready to tackle health

The International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated on 11 February, highlights the critical role women and girls play in science and technology. This year, the focus is on "Women in Science Leadership: A New Era for Sustainability," recognising their contribution to tackling global challenges such as health and climate change. The diversity in research, brought by women, brings fresh perspectives, talent, and creativity, essential for sustainable development. Despite progress in higher education, women continue to be underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering, and