07/11/2018 (Agence Europe) – The EU Council is ready to start inter-institutional negotiations on the re-use of public sector information (see EUROPE 12131). On Wednesday 7 November, the member state ambassadors to the EU (Coreper) indeed granted the Austrian Presidency a negotiation mandate that extends the scope of application of the rules beyond public sector bodies in order to include public enterprises in the transport sector and that of public utility services. It also covers research data, financed by means of public funding, which are already available in public registers. "Today's agreement shows that the public sector is leading the way on data sharing", Austria's Minister for Digital and Economic Affairs Margarete Schramböck stated. All eyes are now on the European Parliament, where the competent parliamentary committee is expected to adopt its negotiation position on 3 December. (SPj)