The 2020 Economic Value of Open Data report explores the value created by open data in Europe. This is the second study carried out by the European Data Portal, the first being in 2015. The value of the open data market is estimated at €184 billion, and is expected to reach between €199.510 and €334.210 million in 2025. This report also analyzes the distribution of said market between sectors and the number of people whose jobs have been created due to open data. Where possible, efficiency gains attributable to open data are analyzed and quantified: potential deaths prevented, time saved, environmental benefits, improvements in language services, and potential associated cost reductions. Finally, the report provides examples and data on the reuse of open data within organizations. The following are the main findings of the report:
- The specification and application of high value data sets under the new Open Data Directive is a good opportunity to address the needs for quality and quantity of open data.
- Meeting the needs in terms of quality and quantity is an important issue, but it is not enough to realize the full potential of open data.
- Open data re-users need to know and understand this potential and take advantage of it.
- The creation of value around open data is limited to the need to transform skills and processes: a long process whose changes and impacts are not always easy to perceive and quantify.
- Sectoral initiatives and collaboration within and between the public and private sectors foster value creation.
- It is essential to combine open data with personal, shared or collective data to stimulate the growth of the open data market.
- We need to explore and improve different approaches to ethical, sustainable and relevant data reuse to address different challenges.
