General

data economy

Reuse and sharing of high-quality data with privacy safeguards.

How the laws define this

National strategic frameworks agree that the data economy is a model or set of activities in which economic value is generated through the collection, processing, sharing, and reuse of data across public and private actors to foster innovation. Where these documents diverge is in their specific policy priorities and embedded safeguards. Digital Transformation of Bulgaria for the period 2020–2030 uniquely anchors its definition in regulatory compliance, requiring high-quality, interoperable data, privacy, data protection rules, and safe data flows. In contrast, Assumptions to AI Strategy in Poland highlights public dataset publication, data exchange, and market mechanisms geared specifically toward supporting artificial intelligence development. Meanwhile, Strategy of Digital Transformation of Slovakia 2030 focuses on the active monetisation and commercialisation of data, underpinned by infrastructure, services, and regulatory frameworks aimed at advancing data-driven business models and improving public services.

Synthesised from the 4 statutory definitions below. Each one is quoted in full, with its source.

How jurisdictions differ

What is distinctive in each definition, binding law in force first. Showing 2 of the 4 instruments that define this term; all are listed under Definitions below.

Jurisdiction	Instrument	Status	What is distinctive
Poland	Assumptions to AI Strategy in Poland (Proposition for an AI Strategy; Plan of activities of the Ministry of Digital Affairs)	Adopted	Frames the economic model as enabling specific policy measures like data sharing, public dataset publication, and market mechanisms supporting AI development.
Bulgaria	Digital Transformation of Bulgaria for the period 2020–2030	Superseded	Emphasizes production and reuse of high-quality, interoperable data including open and linked data, with explicit respect for privacy, data protection, and safe cross-sector flows.

What it triggers

In Poland's Assumptions to AI Strategy, it frames policy measures to enable data sharing, public dataset publication, and market mechanisms that support AI development.source
In Bulgaria's Digital Transformation strategy (superseded), it describes measures for production, sharing and reuse of high-quality interoperable data.source

Definitions (4)

An economic model focused on the production, sharing and reuse of high-quality, interoperable data (including open and linked data) across sectors, carried out in a manner that respects privacy, data protection rules and enables value creation through safe cross-sector data flows.

Digital Transformation of Bulgaria for the period 2020–2030 (National strategic document)Definition 1 of 4

An economic model in which value is created primarily through the collection, processing, exchange and reuse of digital data across public and private actors. The term frames policy measures to enable data sharing, public dataset publication, and market mechanisms that support AI development.

Assumptions to AI Strategy in Poland (Proposition for an AI Strategy; Plan of activities of the Ministry of Digital Affairs)Definition 2 of 4

The set of activities, markets and interactions through which data is collected, processed, shared and monetised to generate economic value. The Strategy uses the term to justify measures on data governance, sharing, reuse and infrastructure to support innovation and public service improvement.

Strategy of Digital Transformation of Slovakia 2030 (Stratégia digitálnej transformácie Slovenska 2030)Definition 3 of 4

An economic model in which value is created through the collection, processing, sharing and commercialization of data, supported by infrastructures, regulatory frameworks and services that enable data-driven innovation and business models.

Strategy of Digital Transformation of Slovakia 2030Definition 4 of 4

Not to be confused with

Data Ecosystem

Data ecosystem refers to a collection of data assets enabling AI, while data economy describes the broader economic model of data collection, processing, and exchange.

data spaces

Data spaces are specific decentralised environments for cross-domain data sharing, whereas data economy encompasses the overall economic activities around data.

Questions and answers

What policy measures does the data economy support in Poland?

It frames policy measures to enable data sharing, public dataset publication, and market mechanisms that support AI development. This is set out in the non-binding Assumptions to AI Strategy.

How does Bulgaria's superseded strategy define data economy?

It focused on production, sharing and reuse of high-quality, interoperable data including open and linked data, respecting privacy and enabling safe cross-sector data flows.

What distinguishes data economy definitions across jurisdictions?

Poland emphasizes policy measures for AI support, while Bulgaria highlights interoperable data with privacy safeguards. Both describe economic models based on data reuse and sharing.