Manifesto for International Data Spaces

In an increasingly interconnected world, data is a critical resource that holds immense potential to unlock new insights, drive innovation, and create value. However, for data to generate this value, it cannot remain locked in silos or inaccessible vaults. Sharing, processing, combination, and analysis of data across organizational boundaries must be enabled. Yet, the movement of data between entities introduces significant business risks, often hindering collaboration and innovation. At the heart of resolving this tension lie two fundamental principles: interoperability and trust.

Dataspaces are the foundation for building this trust. They offer a decentralized, neutral framework of protocols and frameworks that empowers participants to engage in Trusted Data Sharing—allowing data to flow freely while ensuring autonomy for all parties involved. This manifesto sets forth a commitment to common rules and conditions. Principles of dataspaces are simple, yet profound: Your data, your choice—participants must always retain full autonomy over how, when, and with whom they share their data and under which conditions. With great responsibility comes great power—agency comes with the responsibility to safeguard and manage that freedom. Equity, decentralization, and neutrality—no participant shall dominate or control the flow of data; all must share equal rights and responsibilities. These values form the cornerstone of a robust, interoperable, and adaptable data-sharing ecosystem.

Through free and open standards, infrastructure-agnostic design, and boundless business potential, dataspaces serve not as rigid, centralized platforms, but as flexible building blocks for any data ecosystem and business models on top. Our commitment is to foster good faith in all data transactions, balanced by the ability to verify and uphold trust among participants. By adhering to these principles, we believe dataspaces will catalyze the next wave of innovation, unlocking vast opportunities for organizations, communities, and society as a whole.

This manifesto is both a call to action and a vision for a future in which Trusted Data Sharing through international dataspace concepts is the norm, empowering organizations to responsibly harness the full potential of their data.

Read our Manifesto for International Data Spaces here.