EU Data Act Takes Effect to Expand Access to Device and Industrial Data

Overview

• From 12 September, users and business customers can access, use and share raw data generated by connected products, with new rights designed to open after-sale services and data sharing.
• The rules extend portability beyond personal information to non-personal and industrial data, enabling sectors such as manufacturing and agriculture to draw on equipment-performance data.
• Cloud-switching provisions aim to curb vendor lock-in and support multicloud use, though industry voices warn of added technical complexity, costs and restrictive transfer conditions.
• No EU member state had adopted national laws setting out the enforcement regime by the applicability date, underscoring uncertainty over how the rules will be policed.
• Violations can draw fines up to €20m or 4% of global turnover, and the law affects non-EU companies, including UK firms, that operate in the EU market or handle in-scope EU data.