Introduction

Who should read this Rulebook?

It is all about data. If you are using data-driven ecosystems or data-driven business models, you should build or join a data space -- and therefore read this Rulebook. And if you are not yet, think about it!

Data sharing is becoming a critical success factor for all businesses and organizations in all national and international economies. Data access and sharing also helps in meeting specific societal, policy, and legal objectives that are in the public interest. This Rulebook covers several types of data sharing: data sharing ecosystems, peer-to-peer data sharing, data marketplaces and data-driven platforms.

The data space approach described in this Rulebook is for anybody interested in trusted and secure data access and sharing. It is relevant to businesses, organizations and individuals wanting to learn how their data rights can be handled in these data spaces.

Goals and scope of the IDSA Rulebook

Goals of the IDSA

The International Data Spaces Association (IDSA) has defined a data sharing scheme (IDS), including a reference architecture, open source building blocks, and a certification process for creating and operating data spaces. IDS is based on commonly accepted data governance models facilitating secure sharing and easy linking of data within business ecosystems. The goal of IDSA is to make IDS a global standard for sovereign data sharing.

The most important design principle for data spaces is to ensure data sovereignty for all data. This even enables the sharing of sensitive and most valuable data assets between selected participants. The IDS scheme guarantees data sovereignty for data owners who provide the shared data. This is the basis for offering smart services and for establishing innovative business processes.

IDSA defines the technical foundation and a set of agreements for secure and trusted data spaces, where companies of all sizes and industries can manage their data assets. The association already counts over one hundred and thirty member organizations from twenty countries. The interplay of all these organizations as data space participants and service providers will deliver on the shared value proposition of generating business value from data.

The purpose and scope of the Rulebook

The IDSA Rulebook serves several purposes regarding the development and operation of data spaces. The aim is to describe clearly which rules are mandatory and which are optional guidelines. This governance framework includes functional, technical, operational, and legal dimensions:

Guidelines for the functionality of common services are presented as well as the definition, processes, and services of specific roles.
Guidelines how to implement or use a technical artefact of the IDSA.
Guidelines for the work and collaboration within data services.
Guidelines for the legal basis in compliance with the regulatory environment to ensure trust and security.

This framework applies to all IDS-related roles and their interaction in the specific environment:

The IDSA support organization is responsible for maintaining this Rulebook and supports its application. It enables the orchestration of processes and the realization of interfaces to other parties.
The essential service providers make these services available to the participants. They are the source of common agreements.
All IDS users are getting guidance on how to proceed in realizing use cases based on a trustworthy infrastructure and governance.

Relationship with other initiatives

Data Spaces Business Alliance (DSBA)

Four key European organizations (IDSA, Gaia-X, FIWARE, BDVA/DAIRO) have formed an alliance creating one voice and a common framework to make data spaces happen. Together, the DSBA represents 1,000+ leading industry players, associations, research organizations, innovators, and policymakers worldwide. With its combined cross-industry expertise, resources, and know-how, the DSBA drives awareness and technology adoption, shapes standards and enables integration of data spaces across industries.

The aim of IDSA Rulebook is to ensure compatibility with the common data space framework as envisioned and defined by the DSBA.

The Data Space Landscape

Further information on the landscape of data spaces are subject of a dedicated IDSA publication, the Data Space Landscape.

You can find additional information about IDS related elements at other sources provided by IDSA:

• The IDSA website (https://www.internationaldataspaces.org) reflects what we do, who we are and what International Data Spaces stands for. Use cases illustrate the possibilities of the data economy and outline the added value created by the IDS standard. The download center gives access to the IDS Reference Architecture, papers and studies, scientific publications, and marketing material. Our content is constantly updated with news, blog articles, events and our regularly published magazine DATA SPACES NOW!

• The IDSA GitHub repositories (https://github.com/International-Data-Spaces-Association) see also section 3.4

Last updated 9 months ago