CEN-CLC/JTC 25 ‘Data management, Dataspaces, Cloud and Edge’ recently published their first deliverable: EN 18235-1:2026 ‘Trusted data transactions – Part 1: Terminology, concepts and mechanisms’. This first standard lays the foundation for the future work of the JTC by establishing the terminology.
The standard addresses the crucial aspects of data sharing and data exchange across organizations, with an emphasis on ensuring interoperability and accountability throughout the process. By focusing on the principles of findability, accessibility, and reusability, it promotes the efficient and secure management of data, making it easier for organizations to locate and utilize valuable information. Furthermore, the standard plays a pivotal role in enabling data rights, providing a clear framework that supports the responsible use and sharing of data across multiple parties.
EN 18235-1:2026 provides a clear and common understanding of key concepts for trusted data sharing, including data products as shareable units containing data and key metadata on their description, semantics, and data usage rights in relation to the data rights holders.
All this is important because the value of data can be increased if it is shared. Organizations refrain from data sharing because of uncertainty on the rights and obligations associated with the data or because the data cannot be found. EN 18235-1:2026 enables the management of data rights for all parties, including data rights holders, data providers, data users, and data intermediaries. It provides a foundation for the publication of data products, the discovery of data products, and their interoperability.
The benefits and practical applications of the standard
Dynamic and resilient data supply chains can be built for various industries. The societal need for consent-based data sharing is supported by this standard. Trusted data sharing is relevant for major societal developments, including the circular economy, but also for the availability and use of data for cultural heritage.
The practical applications of this standard notably include its use within the Common European Data Spaces, which are a core framework for data sharing and reuse across the EU. In particular, the standard supports data catalogue services operated by public authorities as well as industrial data catalogue services, helping to structure, describe, and make data more discoverable and interoperable across sectors.
A concrete example of how this standard improves daily life can be seen in the sharing and use of agricultural data. Agricultural data is relevant to a wide range of stakeholders of different types and sizes, including farmers, public authorities, NGOs, researchers, utility providers, international companies, and data platforms.
By enabling data such as soil and weather conditions, the use of fertilizers or chemicals, pollution levels, machinery data, and animal health information to be shared in an interoperable and well‑governed way, the standard supports better decision‑making, more sustainable practices, and improved outcomes across the agricultural sector.
