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The Data Act establishes a horizontal set of rules on data access and use that respects the protection of fundamental rights and delivers wide-ranging benefits for the European economy and society. It increases data availability – particularly industrial data – and encourages data-driven innovation while ensuring fairness in the allocation of data value among all actors in the data economy. Please visit the Data Act Explained fact page for an introduction to this regulation (If you wish, click on "print as PDF" to obtain a downloadable PDF version).
The Data Act is applicable from 12 September 2025. Together with the Data Governance Act, which increases trust in voluntary data-sharing mechanisms, the Data Act will contribute to the establishment of a genuine single market for data, making Europe a leader in the global data economy.
Below you can download the PDF version of the FAQs on the Data Act. This document was compiled with input from various stakeholders and will support the implementation of the Data Act.
This initiative is part of the Commission’s broader work on guidance for implementing the Data Act and complements other documents including:
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the Data Act
- Draft Recommendation on non-binding Model Contractual Terms for data access and use (MCTs) and non-binding Standard Contractual Clauses for cloud computing contracts (SCCs)
- Guidance on vehicle data, accompanying the Data Act
In the future, the Commission will publish guidance on reasonable compensation for mandatory business-to-business data sharing in the context of Chapter III of the Data Act.
Building on the guidance materials already published, the launched Data Act Legal Helpdesk offers stakeholders concrete guidance on legal questions related to the Data Act.