EUlinked

EUlinked is a term used to describe a proposed or fictional European Union–level digital infrastructure intended to interconnect public sector data and services across member states. In this concept, government agencies expose standardized data and services through interoperable interfaces to enable cross-border administration, policy research, and citizen-facing e-services, while complying with EU data protection rules.

The model envisions a federated architecture, where data remain with national authorities but are accessible through a shared set of APIs, metadata catalogs, and identity federation. Key elements include common data exchange standards, service registries, and privacy by design. Interoperability is achieved through harmonized data models, controlled vocabularies, and open standards that span domains such as statistics, health, mobility, and commerce.

Governance would typically involve European and national authorities, with oversight to ensure privacy, security, and accountability. Data protection authorities, the European Data Protection Board, and the European Commission would play roles in setting rules, auditing compliance, and resolving cross-border issues. Implementation would require significant funding, legal alignment, and collaboration between public administrations, industry, and research communities.

Potential benefits include faster policy analysis, improved public service delivery, and more efficient cross-border public services. Challenges include data sovereignty concerns, cost, technical complexity, ensuring robust security, and maintaining user trust under GDPR.

Related topics include GDPR, eIDAS, Gaia-X, and INSPIRE.