The Enterprise Europe Network announces:
August 12, 2026
Data is the foundation of competitiveness, artificial intelligence, and the European data economy. However, unfounded requirements for local data storage abroad, discriminatory rules, and the risk of data leakage to third countries threaten European data sovereignty.
The European Commission has therefore launched a targetedstakeholder consultation.
The aim of this consultation is to gain insights into the practical challenges faced by EU organizations in an international context.
This applies in particular to:
- Barriers to accessing or using data in third countries
- Barriers to the transfer of data into the EU
- Risks associated with third countries’ access to sensitive data
- More general data-related dependencies affecting European organizations
Companies and research institutions are encouraged to share their practical experiences and assessments.
When providing specific examples, please include the following information whenever possible:
- the affected sector or part of the value chain,
- type or category of data,
- affected third country or region,
- practical impact on the organization,
- an assessment of whether the issue is isolated or systemic.
The results of the consultation are intended to serve as a basis for the Commission’s further assessment and potential policy measures.
The consultation is available exclusively in English, and responses may be submitted until September 8, 2026 .
Individual responses will be used exclusively for internal purposes and will not be published. Confidential business information should be clearly marked in the submission. If information cannot be submitted via the consultation tool for confidentiality reasons, the European Commission can be contacted directly at EC-INTERNATIONAL-DATA-POLICY(at)ec.europa.eu.
Participate in the consultation now
Source: European Commission