Forum

10th Florence Intermodal Forum: Creating a Common European Mobility Data Space

25 November 2022

Transforming Europe into a climate neutral economy by 2050 in line with the European Green Deal places a particular responsibility on the transport sector, which accounts for a quarter of the Union’s total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Specifically, transport will have to collectively reduce its GHG emissions by 90% by mid-century compared to 1990 levels. To this end, the European Commission’s Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy (2020) underlines that decarbonising transport while rendering it safer, more efficient and accessible requires advancing digitalisation and enhancing the use of data in all modes of transport across both the passenger and freight segments.

Unlocking the full potential of mobility and transport data is indeed essential to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable and smarter mobility system while offering valuable insights to policymakers. Digital technologies are already enabling innovations and disrupting all sectors of the economy. In transport, for instance, connected, automated and electric vehicles have seen major advances in recent years, while shared mobility and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) are transforming the way we move both people and goods. Data has an instrumental role to play in all these trends. In addition, there is a growing need to enable data re-use across sectors, notably between mobility and the health and energy sectors.

Notwithstanding, data availability, access and exchange in the transport sector today continue to be hampered due to unclear regulatory conditions, the lack of an EU market for data provision, the absence of an obligation to collect and share data, incompatible tools and systems for data collection and sharing, different standards, or data sovereignty concerns, among others.

In view of this, the European Strategy for Data aims to establish a Single Market for data, where data can flow between countries and sectors and be accessed and used easily, in full compliance with European values and rules. The strategy announces the establishment of data spaces in strategic areas, including transport, where the development of a common European mobility data space is to facilitate access, pooling and sharing of transport and mobility data, building on existing and future initiatives and platforms.

In doing so, it will take into account the horizontal governance set out in the data strategy, the Data Governance Act and the Data Act. This mobility data space should function in synergy with key systems, including energy, satellite navigation and telecommunications while being cyber-safe and compatible with Union data protection standards. At the same time, a level playing field for data in the value chain must be preserved so that innovation can thrive and new business models emerge.

Against this backdrop, the 10^th Florence Intermodal Forum, jointly organised by the Transport Area of the Florence School of Regulation and the European Commission’s DG MOVE (B4 Unit Sustainable and Intelligent Transport), will bring together relevant stakeholders representing policymakers, regulatory authorities, transport service providers, industry players, digital platforms and data sharing initiatives from different levels (from local to international). The Forum will offer a timely platform for the exchange of views on the key existing initiatives, opportunities and challenges to building a common European mobility data space. Stakeholders will be invited to identify existing mobility data sharing initiatives, gaps, overlaps and potential common building blocks.

Please kindly note that participation is by invitation only.