The deployEMDS training programme on the common European Mobility Data Space (EMDS) is continuing with the launch of Module 3 – Governance Frameworks, now available through the FACTUAL Academy.

Following the first two modules, which introduced the EMDS vision and the technical building blocks underpinning mobility data spaces, the new module turns to another essential dimension of trusted data sharing: governance and the legal frameworks that shape how mobility data can be shared, accessed and used.

Effective mobility data spaces need more than the right technical infrastructure. They also require clear governance structures, shared principles and an understanding of the legal environment in which organisations operate. Module 3 provides learners with the foundations to navigate these aspects and understand how they contribute to the development of trusted and sustainable mobility data spaces.

What will you learn?

Module 3 takes learners through four key areas.

Governance fundamentals introduces the main definitions and terminology needed to understand and navigate the governance landscape of data spaces.

Governance of Mobility Data Spaces then explores different governance categories and models, as well as key governance principles and approaches to multilevel governance. This provides a broader understanding of how different stakeholders can work together within a mobility data space.

The module also provides an overview of the legal landscape, looking at the European regulatory frameworks that influence data sharing and the development of mobility data spaces.

Finally, learners can take part in dedicated GDPR training, exploring why data protection is central to trusted mobility data sharing and what GDPR means in practice. The module also includes a practical example drawn from a real deployEMDS implementation site, helping participants connect the legal concepts with their application in real-world mobility data space environments.

Building knowledge for the European mobility data space

With Module 3, the deployEMDS training moves beyond the technical foundations of mobility data spaces to address the organisational and regulatory conditions needed for their successful implementation.

The module is designed for stakeholders looking to strengthen their understanding of mobility data spaces and the governance approaches that can support their development across Europe. It forms part of the wider “Learn with the Common European Mobility Data Space” training programme developed through deployEMDS and delivered through the FACTUAL Academy.

Module 3 – Governance Frameworks is now available online.
Access Module 3 through the FACTUAL Academy

And the learning journey does not stop here. Module 4 will bring the training closer to implementation, offering practical insights and lessons learned from the deployEMDS project and its work towards scaling mobility data spaces across Europe.

Stay tuned for the next module and continue exploring the foundations of the Common European Mobility Data Space with deployEMDS.

On 13 May 2026, the European Commission took an important step towards making travel across Europe simpler and more seamless. Through its “One journey, one ticket, full rights” package, the Commission proposed new measures to simplify Europe-wide travel booking and strengthen passenger rights. The proposals aim to make it easier for passengers to plan and book journeys involving different rail operators and transport services, including cross-border journeys, while ensuring that passengers are better protected throughout their trip.

The announcement follows through on a commitment made by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in her 2024 Political Guidelines. She called for a Single Digital Booking and Ticketing Regulation that would allow Europeans to book trans-European journeys involving several providers more easily, while retaining their passenger rights. The 2026 package therefore represents an important move from political ambition towards concrete action for more integrated European travel.

However, creating a genuinely seamless travel experience involves more than bringing different tickets together. Behind every multimodal journey is a complex network of data: timetables, routes, connections, disruptions, accessibility information, availability and other travel information. This data is often held by different operators, organisations and authorities, across different systems and countries. For passengers to experience mobility as one connected journey, the data supporting that journey also needs to be accessible and able to work across these boundaries.

The Commission’s May 2026 proposals recognise this wider challenge, including measures aimed at improving the sharing of multimodal transport data. Better access to and exchange of this information will be essential to enabling the integrated travel services that the Commission is seeking to support.

This is where mobility data spaces can play an important role. The common European Mobility Data Space is part of Europe’s wider effort to create a more connected mobility data ecosystem, facilitating the access, pooling and sharing of mobility data while supporting interoperability, security and data sovereignty.

The deployEMDS project is contributing to this ambition by putting these principles into practice through real-world implementations across Europe. Its use cases explore how mobility data can be accessed, shared and reused to support challenges including multimodal journey planning, public transport and mobility management. By working with different mobility actors and data sources, deployEMDS is helping demonstrate how more connected data ecosystems can support new and improved mobility services.

The relevance to the Commission’s 2026 initiative is therefore clear. Making it easier for a passenger to book one journey across several operators requires the different systems behind that journey to be able to exchange the information needed to make it work. Mobility data spaces can provide part of the digital infrastructure needed to enable this kind of collaboration, helping connect data and organisations across traditionally fragmented mobility ecosystems.

The “One journey, one ticket, full rights” package marks an important step towards the Commission’s ambition for more seamless European travel. As this ambition moves from policy into implementation, the ability to connect and share mobility data will become increasingly important. Through its practical implementations and real-world use cases, deployEMDS is helping explore how Europe can build the data foundations for a more integrated mobility ecosystem.

The Commission is setting the policy direction for seamless multimodal travel. Mobility data spaces can help provide the digital foundations needed to turn that ambition into a reality.

The first General Assembly of the BoostEDIC M&L project marked an important step towards a more connected and interoperable European mobility and logistics data ecosystem. Bringing together Member States, project partners and key stakeholders, the meeting focused on advancing the foundations of a common European Mobility Data Space, an objective that closely aligns with the mission of deployEMDS.

As Europe moves from defining the vision for a shared mobility data ecosystem to putting it into practice, initiatives such as BoostEDIC and deployEMDS play complementary roles. While BoostEDIC supports the establishment of the future European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC) for Mobility and Logistics Data by developing governance models, coordination mechanisms and strategic frameworks, deployEMDS is focused on demonstrating how the European Mobility Data Space can be deployed and operated through real-world implementation.

Complementary initiatives for a common European goal

The discussions during the General Assembly highlighted the importance of collaboration, interoperability and trusted data sharing across borders. These are also core principles of deployEMDS, which is working to validate and scale Mobility Data Space services through large-scale demonstrations involving public authorities, transport operators, infrastructure managers and technology providers across Europe.

The governance structures, interoperability recommendations and stakeholder engagement activities developed within BoostEDIC will help create an enabling environment for initiatives like deployEMDS. At the same time, the practical experience generated by DeployEMDS pilots provides valuable insights into the technical and organisational challenges of implementing the European Mobility Data Space in operational settings.

Together, both initiatives contribute to bridging the gap between policy and implementation, ensuring that strategic planning is informed by practical experience and that technical solutions are supported by sustainable governance.

Accelerating deployment through collaboration

One of the key outcomes of the General Assembly was the reaffirmation of a shared European commitment to breaking down data silos and enabling secure, interoperable data exchange across the mobility and logistics sector. This collaborative approach is essential for unlocking innovative mobility services, improving transport efficiency and supporting Europe’s digital and green transitions.

deployEMDS contributes to these ambitions by testing common building blocks, validating data-sharing mechanisms and demonstrating how interoperable services can operate across different transport modes and national borders. The knowledge generated through these activities complements the strategic work carried out by BoostEDIC, helping to accelerate the wider adoption of Mobility Data Space solutions across Europe.

Strengthening the European mobility data ecosystem

The progress made by BoostEDIC reinforces the broader ecosystem in which deployEMDS operates. By supporting the development of common governance, standards and cooperation frameworks, the project lays important groundwork for the long-term sustainability of the common European Mobility Data Space.

As both initiatives continue to evolve, their combined efforts will help create a trusted, interoperable and scalable data ecosystem that enables innovation, strengthens collaboration between stakeholders and delivers more efficient and sustainable mobility services for citizens and businesses across Europe.

The deployEMDS project participated in the OpenTwin International Ideathon 2026, contributing to discussions on how trusted mobility data spaces can support the next generation of cross-border Digital Twins.

The event brought together researchers, public authorities, industry representatives, and Digital Twin experts to explore the technologies, governance models, and collaborative approaches needed to advance interoperable digital infrastructures across Europe.

The Ideathon opened with an address by Christian Schlosser, Ph.D (Head of Unit, Digital Transformation of the Infrastructure Sector, Federal Ministry of Transport, Germany (BMV)), who highlighted the growing importance of Digital Twins in infrastructure management. He emphasised how Building Information Modelling (BIM), integrated data, and real-time information are transforming the planning, operation, maintenance, and monitoring of infrastructure assets throughout their lifecycle. He also underlined how the OpenTwin initiative builds on previous Digital Twin research by extending collaboration to the European level.

deployEMDS, represented by the project coordinator, Philippe Calvez, Ph.D. (acatech), participated in the OpenTwin International Ideathon 2026 as a speaker in the workshop Mobility Data Spaces and Standards, which explored how mobility data spaces can make data more findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) to support scalable and cross-border Digital Twin applications. The opening presentation by Sophie Meszaros from Open & Agile Smart Cities & Communities introduced the European Data Space for Smart Communities as a federated ecosystem connecting cities, sectors, data, and services across Europe. While demonstrating the potential of federated catalogues, shared access management, and service reuse, the presentation also highlighted ongoing challenges, including fragmented connector ecosystems and the need for stronger semantic interoperability across sectors.

During his presentation, Philippe Calvez outlined deployEMDS’s approach to making mobility data easier to discover, access, share, and reuse within a trusted European environment. He explained that mobility Digital Twins depend on live, reliable data from a wide range of stakeholders, including transport operators, cities, mobility platforms, and national authorities, but that this information often remains fragmented across organisations and national borders.

He identified two fundamental capabilities required to enable transnational Digital Twins: trusted access and interoperability. Trusted access ensures that data providers retain control over who can access their data, for what purpose, and under which agreed conditions. Interoperability ensures that data exchanged between different systems and countries follows shared standards, allowing it to be consistently understood and reused.

To address these challenges, deployEMDS builds on existing European standards and reusable components that support trusted data exchange through federated identity management, data discovery, metadata catalogues, and controlled access mechanisms. By combining these building blocks, the project contributes to creating an environment where mobility data can be securely exchanged and reused across borders while maintaining trust between all participating actors.

The subsequent discussion reinforced many of the themes presented by deployEMDS. Participants agreed that long-term sustainability remains one of the main challenges for both Digital Twin and data space initiatives. While many projects have successfully demonstrated technical feasibility, long-term deployment requires sustainable governance, institutional ownership, stable funding models, and clear value propositions.

Trust also emerged as a central prerequisite for successful data sharing. Participants emphasised that organisations must know who is accessing their data, for which purposes, and under what conditions. Building this trust requires not only technical solutions such as federated identities, verifiable credentials, and secure access management, but also transparent governance and clearly defined roles and responsibilities.

Another key discussion point focused on connecting data spaces across sectors and national borders. While participants agreed that federation significantly increases the value of data spaces, they also recognised that achieving interoperability requires greater alignment of connectors, standards, identities, access rules, legal frameworks, and governance models. The current lack of standardised and interchangeable connectors remains an important challenge for future implementation.

The workshop concluded with broad agreement that mobility data spaces can become an essential enabling layer for transnational Digital Twins, provided they deliver clear practical value. Their strength lies in enabling trusted, interoperable, and governed data exchange across organisations, sectors, and countries.

The discussions at the OpenTwin International Ideathon confirmed the growing importance of trusted mobility data spaces in Europe’s Digital Twin ecosystem. Through its work on interoperable standards, trusted data exchange, and reusable technical components, deployEMDS continues to contribute to the development of a secure, scalable, and connected European mobility data space.

Cities and organisations across Finland are working together to develop new ways of sharing and using mobility data through common European data space initiatives focused on smarter and more sustainable urban services.

As part of this work, Finnish partners involved in the European DS4SSCC-DEP programme are collaborating on a national reference architecture for mobility data spaces. The goal is to create common approaches and frameworks that allow cities, companies and public authorities to exchange mobility-related data securely, efficiently and interoperably.

DS4SSCC-DEP is a European initiative that supports the deployment of data spaces for smart communities and cities. The programme brings together projects and pilot activities from different countries to develop practical solutions for trusted data sharing and collaboration across sectors.

In Finland, two DS4SSCC-DEP pilot projects are playing a central role in this work. The first is TDFS (Traffic Data for Smart Cities), coordinated by Forum Virium Helsinki, which focuses on improving the sharing and utilisation of traffic and mobility data in urban environments. The second is DT-aCoGo (Digital Twin as a Common Good), based in Tampere, which explores how digital twin technologies and shared urban data infrastructures can support better city planning, operations and services.

Together, the projects are contributing to the development of a Finnish national reference architecture for mobility data spaces. The objective is not only to address technical interoperability, but also to support governance models, ecosystem cooperation and trusted frameworks for public-private collaboration.

Within this landscape, deployEMDS plays an important connecting role. The project supports the deployment and operationalisation of mobility data spaces by bringing together pilots, stakeholders and technical initiatives across Europe. In Finland, especifically through the Tampere Use Case, deployEMDS provides a framework through which local pilot activities such as TDFS and DT-aCoGo can contribute to shared European objectives while also benefiting from cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange.

By linking local experimentation with European-level coordination, deployEMDS helps ensure that the solutions being developed are not isolated demonstrations, but building blocks for scalable and interoperable mobility ecosystems. This creates opportunities for cities and organisations to learn from one another, align approaches and accelerate the practical adoption of trusted data-sharing models.

The cooperation between the Finnish DS4SSCC-DEP pilots demonstrates how local and regional projects can contribute to wider national and common European objectives for interoperable data ecosystems. Through practical pilot activities and stakeholder collaboration, Finland is helping to shape future models for smart mobility and urban data sharing.

The article by Toni Lusikka and Olli-Pekka Mattila is available on the Finnish Data Space Alliance website:
https://www.dataspacesalliance.fi/suunnistus-sujuvaan-kaupunkiin-data-avaruuksien-hyodyntaminen-julkisen-ja-yksityisen-sektorin-yhteistyossa/

The Eurocities Digital Forum was held on 15-17 April, hosted by Sofia Municipality, focusing on “Key Technologies for Future-Proof Cities: from Data Spaces to Digital Twins”.. During the forum, city officials and experts have gathered to explore how to build a ‘common digital culture’ that empowers all people to understand, question and shape the digital systems around them. This means that everyone can benefit from the digital world, understand how data works, and make informed decisions rather than passively accept what is designed for them.

During the forum’s opening session, Ivan Goychev, Deputy Mayor for Digitalisation at Sofia Municipality, stated: “We need to speak the language of everyone, giving them a say in decisions that affect their communities.”

Prof. Dessislava Petrova-Antonova, lead of the local deployment of deployEMDS, participated in the Session “Best practices from cities’ digital twins for climate resilience”. She explained how data sharing supports the development of the Sofia urban digital twin, addressing challenges related to transport, environmental pollution, climate change, and energy. In this session, showcases from four cities were presented: Sofia, Rotterdam, Leipzig, and Burgas.

GATE Institute hosted a site visit, which began with a welcome from the GATE (Big Data for Smart Society) Director, Prof. Sylvia Ilieva, and a brief introduction to the GATE Institute’s mission and research. 

GATE’s planned programme included presentations and live demonstrations showcasing the Institute’s expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Digital Twins, data spaces, and data-intensive systems, and highlighting how these technologies are applied to real-world city challenges, offering a direct look at how data-driven solutions support smarter cities. The deployEMDS project was presented by Kaloyan Karamitov with a focus on Sofia use cases related to the development of a new mobility-as-a-service application based on shared data from Sofia Urban Mobility Centre and micro-mobility operators, as well as walkability scenarios for user-centric pedestrian routing.

The data space’s technical components and the added value for participants were demonstrated through a local testbed deployed on the GATE infrastructure. The attendees became familiar with the data offering, which showcased datasets on air pollution, public transport, road networks, and pedestrian movement. The respective data products were explained along with metadata, usage, and access policy definition.

As digitalisation accelerates, the challenge extends beyond technological advancement and connectivity to encompass issues of trust, equity, and inclusion. The benefits of digital transformation require careful attention to data sharing, placing additional responsibility on cities to lead and shape the trajectory of digital change.

Europe’s ambition to create a single market for data is often discussed at a high level, but its real impact depends on whether organizations can share data in practice. Despite strong policy support, many initiatives still struggle with fragmented systems, unclear governance, and a lack of trust between stakeholders. Data spaces are intended to solve these issues but designing them remains a complex task. 

The approach presented here builds on findings from deployEMDS partner imec published in the scientific journal Data in Brief, in the article “From use case to data space, a bottom-up data space design framework leveraging data products” by Casper Van Gheluwe, Gabriele Bozzi, Eridona Selita, Nele Daels, Tanguy Coenen, and Laure De Cock. While grounded in research, these insights are directly applicable to real-world deployment, particularly in the context of the deployEMDS project use cases. 

A data space isn’t just a piece of technology. It’s a setup where organisations share and reuse data under agreed rules, with trust around security and control. The problem is that while the idea is clear in theory, many organisations lack know-how on how to turn it into something that works. 

The deployEMDS approach tackles this differently. Instead of starting with systems and architecture, it starts with real use cases. That matters because data sharing only has value when it supports a concrete goal, like better traffic flow or improved public services. 

At the core is the idea of a data product. This goes beyond just data, as it includes how it’s used, who can access it, and under what conditions. Focusing on data products keeps things practical and value-driven, making it easier for both technical and non-technical stakeholders to contribute. 

Bridging use cases and technical design 

To make this approach practical, deployEMDS introduces a structured design framework that connects use cases to technical implementation. It works in two steps. First, requirements are systematically captured from each use case through a guided process. Stakeholders describe what data is needed, who is involved, what constraints apply, and how the data should be used. This ensures that both technical and non-technical perspectives are taken into account. In a second step, these requirements are translated into a set of technical capabilities that the data space must provide. These capabilities can include identity management, access control, data catalogues, interoperability mechanisms, and policy enforcement tools. 

What makes this approach particularly useful is that it creates a clear link between non-technical requirements and technical design decisions. Instead of relying on predefined architectures, the resulting system reflects the specific needs of the use cases it is meant to support. This also means that different use cases can lead to different configurations, even within the same domain. For example, one implementation may prioritise strict access control and interoperability standards, while another may focus on open data and transparency. 

At the same time, the framework highlights an important limitation of relying solely on a bottom-up approach. If design is driven only by immediate use case needs, certain foundational capabilities may be overlooked. These include elements that are essential for a minimum viable data space, such as consistent governance mechanisms or baseline security features. To address this, the framework recommends combining bottom-up insights with top-down guidance. This ensures that the system is both practical and aligned with broader standards and long-term objectives. 

Wider impact 

For policymakers, this has several implications. It demonstrates that effective data sharing cannot be achieved through regulation or infrastructure alone. It requires tools and methods that help organisations translate policy goals into concrete implementations. By making this translation more systematic, the framework reduces uncertainty and lowers the barrier for participation. It also supports better decision-making by clarifying which capabilities are actually needed and why. 

For citizens, the benefits are less visible but equally important. When data can be shared securely and efficiently, it enables better services, more responsive governance, and more informed decision-making. Whether it is optimising urban mobility, improving environmental monitoring, or supporting innovation, the ability to combine and reuse data plays a critical role. 

The work carried out in deployEMDS shows that designing data spaces is not only a technical exercise but also an organizational and strategic one. It requires balancing flexibility with standardization, and immediate needs with long-term interoperability. By starting from use cases and systematically translating them into capabilities, the framework offers a practical way to navigate this complexity. 

As data spaces continue to evolve across Europe, such approaches will be essential to ensure that the vision of a data-driven society can be implemented in a way that is both effective and trustworthy. 

You can read the full paper here.

How do data spaces evolve from ambitious concepts into real, tangible value for cities and regions? This question was at the heart of the Data Spaces Symposium in Madrid, organised by the Data Spaces Support Centre, where deployEMDS played an active role in shaping the conversation.

Turning strategy into implementation

As Europe accelerates its digital transformation, mobility data spaces are emerging as a critical tool to enable smarter, more connected transport systems. At the symposium, experts highlighted that the transition from vision to implementation is already underway.

ERTICO – ITS Europe, represented by Eusebiu Catana, emphasised the essential building blocks of the common European Mobility Data Space (EMDS). Interoperability, governance, and compliance were identified as the core enablers that ensure data can be shared securely and efficiently across borders and systems.

In this context, deployEMDS and the new initiative boostEDIC Mobility & Logistics were showcased as leading European initiatives, demonstrating how the common EMDS is being actively developed and implemented in real-world environments.

Connecting local and national ecosystems

A key challenge for data spaces lies in their ability to scale while remaining relevant to local needs. Sylvia Ilieva from the GATE Institute addressed this issue by highlighting how data spaces can bridge national frameworks and local applications.

Her contribution focused on ensuring that municipalities and regions can leverage shared data infrastructures to solve concrete mobility challenges, from traffic optimisation to sustainable urban planning, while maintaining flexibility and autonomy.

Sofia as a living example

As part of its role within deployEMDS, the GATE Institute is taking practical steps to bring these ideas to life. Acting as an IDSA Hub initiative, it is laying the groundwork for the Sofia local mobility data space.

This initiative represents a significant milestone: a real-world deployment where data sharing moves beyond theory into daily operational use. By enabling collaboration between stakeholders at city and regional levels, Sofia is becoming a testbed for scalable, interoperable mobility solutions.

From concept to impact

The discussions in Madrid made one thing clear: the common European Mobility Data Space is no longer just a vision. Through initiatives like deployEMDS, it is rapidly becoming a reality.

Driven by concrete use cases, active stakeholder engagement, and measurable outcomes, mobility data spaces are beginning to deliver real impact, helping cities and regions make better decisions, optimise resources, and improve the daily lives of citizens.

The journey from concept to implementation is well underway, and Europe is setting a strong example of how data-driven collaboration can shape the future of mobility.