Incentives and Reports
Data Space Blueprint & Priority Data Sets
In this report, we summarize the results of our extensive study on priority datasets and associated use cases. We selected and prioritized seven use cases relevant to DS4SSCC and conducted interviews to explore technological overlaps and dataset usage. The findings reveal gaps in both public and private sector data within the current dataset environment as defined by the European Commission. Our analysis of these use cases enhances our understanding of ICT architectures in different city and community settings. While there are common requirements for local authorities, various technologies underpin them, as detailed in this report. These findings, combined with the work in other deliverables informed the development of a blueprint and Data Cooperation Canvas to support stakeholders in establishing a data space for smart and sustainable cities and communities.
Use Cases & Priority Data Sets
Architecture Model
A Cookbook is provided in the full report, offering guidelines, recipes, and FAQs for managing data spaces in smart communities.
This High-Level Architecture Model and Cookbook are initial steps, with further development and piloting under the DS4SSCC-DEP project. The material will also benefit the Citcom.ai project, which provides testing infrastructure for data space deployment.
Recommendations for future projects include establishing a common language for interoperability, using stable and standard interfaces (APIs), relying on existing BBs, and following the architecture template presented in this document.
Roadmap
This document outlines an action plan for establishing a European data space in smart and sustainable cities. It builds on prior work and offers practical guidance for implementation. The plan is adaptable to various scales, from local to European, and accommodates different use case maturity levels. Additionally, it provides tools and resources to support the deployment process, serving as the foundation for the actual implementation.
While this document guides those interested in deploying a cross-domain, cross-border, and cross-sectorial data space, it also acts as the foundation of the Data Space for Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities Deployment action.
The DS4SSCC Action Plan outlines a 6-phase roadmap:
1. Preliminary Phase
2. Development Phase
3. Providing Concept
4. Organizing Playing Field
5. Increasing Impact & Preparing Implementation
6. Complete Implementation
Each phase includes a summary with detailed sections on governance, datasets, and technical architecture, specifying goals, processes, and actions to reach higher levels. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) help assess use cases and determine the necessary actions for progress.
Based on the DS4SSCC maturity model, this report allows use case stakeholders like cities and communities to (A) place their use cases within our action plan framework using defined KPIs and (B) implement actions to enhance maturity at local and European levels. These results, combined with work from other work packages, create a solid roadmap to support the establishment of data spaces for smart and sustainable cities and communities.
The action plan is founded on well-prepared deliverables regarding the multistakeholder governance scheme, data space technological architecture, and priority datasets. It is important to move from this action plan to actual implementation, recognizing the variations in use cases, stakeholder landscapes, testbeds, legal frameworks, and environmental conditions. Real-world implementation will help refine the action plan, with use cases from cities and communities maturing over the next three years, leading to valuable insights, nuanced action plans, identification of common bottlenecks, and risk mitigation measures.
The work plan presented here supports the delivery of the multi-stakeholder data governance scheme by bringing together European cities and regions (Governance Group) to collaborate on two use-cases relevant to the Green Deal objectives.
The governance scheme will be co-developed with the Governance Group and validated with broader stakeholders representing the ‘quadruple helix’ (public administrations, private sector, academia, and civil society) through the project’s Stakeholder Forum (incl. associated and supporting partners as per below).
The work will be consolidated into a scheme, including a Code of Conduct, and support the deliverables of WP3 and integrated into the deliverable of WP4 to provide a blueprint towards a federated European data space for smart and sustainable cities and communities.
Objectives
Using this work plan, the Governance group will co-develop a data space governance scheme to guide the practices and interactions with various stakeholders (e.g., cities, industry, academia, civil society, etc.) in the cities & communities data space. The governance scheme will be integrated with other project deliverables to create a blueprint for a European data space for smart and sustainable cities and communities.
The multi-stakeholder governance scheme will:
Consider roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders in the data space for smart and sustainable cities and communities.
Identify standardised access rights and business models for the management of the ecosystem.
Determine conditions for access, sharing, processing, and using data within (local) data ecosystems.
Explore mechanisms for identity management and trust.
Establish data quality assurance guidelines and standards.
Take into consideration existing European policy, legislation, and regulations.
Taking part in the work of the governance group will enable cities and relevant data ecosystem stakeholders to:
Share learning, best practices and solutions.
Collaborate and share solutions to overcome specific local challenges related to data sharing with different types of stakeholders (including private sector).
Bring the perspectives of cities and communities to the development of the blueprint for a European Data Space for Smart and Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Contribute and be part of broader networks of partner organisations via the Stakeholder Forum.
Read the entire Work plan for the development of a multi-stakeholder data governance scheme
Work plan for the development of a multi-stakeholder data governance scheme
Multi-Stakeholder Governance Scheme
Strategy Report
Conclusions & Next Steps
The deliverable detailed DS4SSCC’s commitment to work together with its stakeholders whilst also highlighting its position in the network of data spaces and the wider European digitalisation efforts. The close collaboration with the stakeholders ensures that the blueprint caters to the needs and requirements of European users. As such, our work is not merely focused on defining the technical and governance aspects of a dataspace but also to initiate a dialogue with European stakeholders, understand the diverse set of capabilities and technological readiness, and to evaluate the kind of support needed to adapt data spaces.
Over the course of the next six months the initiative will continue meeting with its stakeholders to gather input for its work as well as to validate it. Concretely, it will deliver a) a multi-stakeholder governance scheme; b) provide a reference architecture in addition to the catalogue of specifications; c) a roadmap to deploy the dataspace for smart cities and communities and d) f provide capacity building to European cities and communities.
As the delivered blueprint is accompanied with a roadmap for its deployment the initiative is also mindful about the next phase for data spaces for smart communities: the deployment phase. This latter phase will start on the 1st of October, 2023 and it will call upon cities and communities to apply for becoming sites of piloting. Cities and communities can apply together with other cities and communities and industry players from different member states as mini consortia. The deployment phase will remain available for the community raised during the current preparatory action. Hence, the overall timeline of data spaces for smart communities is a total of 48 months separated into a preparatory and a deployment phase.
Capacity Building Programme
In the age of rapid technological advancement, the European Union is prioritizing people in its digital initiatives. Central to this mission are Common European Data Spaces and the need for mutual learning and capacity building across member states. The European Digital Strategy focuses on enhancing digital skills, transforming businesses, and improving digital infrastructure. By 2030, targets include 20 million ICT specialists, 80% basic digital skills adoption, and 75% of companies using Cloud, AI, or Big Data. The DS4SSCC project plays a key role, with its capacity-building activities vital for achieving these goals.
Catalogue of Specifications
The Catalogue of Specifications developed by DS4SSCC partners as one of the project deliverables aims at providing an overview of the identified building blocks (BBs) (technical and non-technical) required to set up and operate the data space for smart and sustainable cities and communities (SSCC).
The Catalogue follows the taxonomy proposed by the OpenDEI project and adopted by the Data Spaces Support Center (DSSC). The specified BBs are mechanisms to implement the Minimal Interoperable Mechanisms (MIMs Plus) promoted by the Living-in.EU initiative. The Catalogue is accompanied by an introductory chapter (Section 1) which introduces all these concepts and initiatives to understand the background of the context.
Section 2 of the report summarises the collected information through the survey and several interviews which have been conducted. All this information has been analysed and properly integrated into the Catalogue (Section 3) in a reasonable and homogeneous manner. Section 4 describes the meaning of MIMs in the SSCC data space and establishes the mapping of MIMs onto the BBs. Finally, Section 5 compiles all the content in this document by extracting some conclusions and identifying next steps which link this document to the next outcome of WP3, the Reference Architecture and Cookbook. Complementary to this document, an online Catalogue has been developed to facilitate access to information and the evolution of the Catalogue in the following stages.
In addition to the report version, you can also consult the online version of the Catalogue, which will follow the same taxonomy as OpenDEI and the information per building block as shown in the image below. For the development of the digital Catalogue, DS4SSCC has counted with the support of the DS4SKILLS project, adapting the online inventory to its needs.
Read the full Catalogue of Specifications Report