Brussels, 30/01/2014 (Agence Europe) - How will “big data” (the massive volume of data) and “open data” (openly available data) revolutionise the economy in Europe and how can these rapidly growing phenomena be managed? Furthermore, do big and open data have the potential to become major growth engines in Europe or can they already be deemed “missed opportunities”. The authors of the report by the Warsaw Institute for Economic Studies, published under the aegis of the think-tank demosEUROPA and presented to the European Parliament on 29 January, sought to answer these questions.
“Big data” means the huge amount of digital data generated by internet users throughout the world. Such a volume is impossible to manage using traditional database management or information management tools. Commissioner Neelie Kroes is aware of the challenge raised by this ever-expanding phenomenon and recently suggested the creation of a public-private partnership to take the management of “big data” in hand. Out of the 20 “big data” management companies already in existence, only two are European (see EUROPE 10967). The opening up of data or “open data” is the process of making data available to everyone easily and free of charge. It comes within the framework of an overall movement that considers public information as a common good, whose dissemination is in the public and general interest. This is a philosophy largely upheld by Commissioner Kroes and framed by the European Commission since 2003 with the directive on the re-use of public sector information, which is being reviewed. The report, entitled “Open and big data in Europe: potential growth drivers, or a massively squandered opportunity”, uses a macro-economic model to assess the impact of “big data” and of “open data” on the future economy of the 28 member states and European regions by 2020, as part of the general ICT revolution throughout the world. According to the report, the EU's GDP could increase by a further €206 billion (+1.9%) by 2020 if modernised data management solutions are adopted. “Percentage-wise, that may not seem like that big a deal, but it would be the equivalent of one full year of economic growth in the EU”, the report comments. Nonetheless, these increases would only be obtained on condition that “policy-makers recognise the different levels of readiness of northern, southern and eastern parts of the European Union, tailor their policies to the local landscape and incorporate big and open data policies into a broader technology reform agenda rather than treating it as an isolated regulatory challenge”. The report makes the following affirmations: 1) northern Europe can expect the strongest average increase in GDP level due to exploitation of the economic potential of the data; 2) the Czech Republic and Poland are the member states that will benefit the most; and 3) the United Kingdom is leading the transition to open government not only by opening up ever more public sector data but also through stimulating the uptake of the solutions based on provided data. (IL/transl.jl)