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How the European mobility data space (EMDS) shapes the Cycle Data Space

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Cyclist
01/08/2025
3 minutes

The European Commission's European Mobility Data Space (EMDS) strategy envisions a unified framework for data sharing in the mobility sector. It removes digital barriers, allowing a more sustainable, interconnected transportation ecosystem. These principles are shared by the MegaBITS project, particularly in the development of its Cycle Data Space (CDS) and follow imec’s white paper on bicycle data spaces.

In its November 2023 Communication on the EMDS, the Commission outlined the main objectives, components, supporting measures and milestones to achieve this vision. They clarified that the EMDS will not be a centralized database but a framework for diverse transport data ecosystems to cooperate. It will complement existing European data legislation, such as the Data Governance Act and Data Act, while aligning with existing ecosystems, such as the National Access Points.

The EMDS thus connects diverse transportation data systems, creating a seamless network that makes data more accessible. By simplifying data sharing, it builds trust and encourages collaboration among stakeholders. This mobility data infrastructure shapes the CDS, ensuring cycling data is fully utilized for effective planning and policymaking while supporting the foundation of a sustainable data economy.

EMDS in the Cycle Data Space

The Cycle Data Space proposed in the MegaBITS project aligns with the strategic priorities of the EMDS in several aspects outlined below.

  • Interoperability and data integration

The EMDS strategy removes data-sharing barriers through interoperable technical and governance frameworks. For the Cycle Data Space, this translates into onboarding diverse datasets, such as cycling infrastructure, counts, and (C-)ITS data, using the mobilityDCAT-AP metadata standard. This will ease data exchange across regional and national borders.

  • Governance and trust

In the EMDS strategy, the EC underlines the importance of clear governance mechanisms to ensure secure, equitable, and GDPR-compliant data sharing. Although long-term governance for the Cycle Data Space is beyond MegaBITS’ current scope, the project leverages proven models like Germany’s Mobility Data Space (MDS) to ensure secure and equitable data sharing. This approach allows stakeholders - including public authorities, ITS service providers, and data users - to benefit from these governance structures that ensure data management and sharing remain secure, equitable and sustainable in the long term. The collaboration with deployEMDS further helps the project’s alignment with European-level governance standards, ensuring compatibility and scalability as the Cycle Data Space and EMDS initiatives evolve.

Alignment with the Mobility Data Space

As part of its phased integration into the broader EMDS ecosystem, the MegaBITS project aligns its Cycle Data Space with Germany’s Mobility Data Space (MDS), a well-established non-profit initiative currently funded by the German Federal Ministry of Digital and Transport. This alignment offers strategic and operational advantages, using the MDS’s mature framework for decentralized data exchange and its established governance model to accelerate development and ensure long-term scalability.

The MDS provides a ready-made infrastructure, including an open-source connector-as-a-service, which simplifies the onboarding of cycling data. This minimizes the technical effort required while ensuring compatibility with EMDS standards. Moreover, the MDS’s roadmap for interoperability with EMDS makes it an ideal steppingstone for integrating the Cycle Data Space into Europe’s wider mobility data ecosystem. For example, data available in the Mobilithek, Germany’s NAP, is already mirrored automatically into the MDS.

Conclusion

The European Commission's EMDS strategy provides a structured framework for mobility data sharing, guiding the development of the Cycle Data Space within MegaBITS. By aligning with initiatives such as deployEMDS and Germany’s Mobility Data Space, MegaBITS supports the creation of a coherent and scalable European mobility data ecosystem, contributing to the EU’s goals for connected and sustainable transport.