On 23 February 2022, the European Commission published its long-awaited legislative proposal for a new Data Act. The proposal marks a significant shift in the EU’s approach to the data economy. It aims to challenge the constitution of data monopolies across various sectors, by reshaping existing power structures that favour large data incumbents and moving to solidify data as a non-rival good. Drawing on desk research and a series of interviews conducted with key experts in Brussels, this CEPS Policy Insights paper proposes to unpack this new legislative proposal by exploring its genealogy, the key policy issues at stake, and identifying the main expected political drivers for the negotiations to come.
