The Commission has proposed a threefold plan that will see it opening its information vaults to the public through a new data portal and the introduction of a level playing field for open data across the EU.The revised Directive, which first came into effect in 2003, is expected to deliver a €40bn (£33.8bn) boost to the EU’s economy each year.

These will both be backed by €100m (£84.5m) to be granted in 2011-2013 to fund research into improved data handling.

Neelie Kroes, Commission VP, said, “We are sending a strong signal to administrations today. Your data is worth more if you give it away. So start releasing it now. Use this framework to join the other smart leaders who are already gaining from embracing open data. Taxpayers have already paid for this information, the least we can do it give it back to those who want to use it in new ways that help people and create jobs and growth.”

The Commission has recommended that the 2003 Directive on the re-use of public sector information should be updated as follows:

• All documents made accessible by public-sector bodies can be re-used for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, unless protected by a third party.
• Public bodies should not be allowed to charge more than the cost of the individual request for data (marginal costs). In practice, this means most data will be offered free of charge.
• It should be made compulsory to provide data in commonly used, machine-eadable formats to ensure it can be effectively re-used.
• A regulatory body should be introduced to enforce these principles.
• The reach of the Directive should be expanded to include libraries, museums and archives for the first time.

The Commission’s data portal is currently in beta and is expected to launch in spring 2012, serving as a single access point for re-usable data from all EU institutions, bodies and agencies and national authorities.

The Commission launched a UK-based public information site at the end of last year in a bid to use online as its primary communication channel.