Europeana Data Governance Stakeholder Group

Background

Currently, the Europeana Licensing Framework (ELF) standardises the rules and describes the principles that govern data sharing and reuse in Europeana, with other frameworks and standards focusing on data quality, interoperability and metadata for the same data. As the Europeana Initiative builds and deploys the data space for cultural heritage, the rules that determine how data is governed need to evolve too in order to - among other things - support the sharing and facilitate the reuse of additional types of data, through new means and for new purposes.

A strategy for the Data Governance for the common European data space for cultural heritage (from now on the ‘data governance strategy’) has been developed in its first iteration to guide and manage the transition from the current set-up, based on individually developed frameworks and standards, towards a coordinated and cohesive approach to a ‘data governance mechanism’ that builds upon them. The data governance strategy strongly relies on the ELF as its starting point, and it is designed to address changes needed to its various elements and implementation measures, in view, among other things, to update and develop the rules described in the Data Exchange Agreement and relevant terms. 

In the past two to three years, the development of the ELF has been planned and implemented mostly internally by Europeana Foundation, with only a few consultations. Under this approach, it is very difficult for stakeholders to participate and contribute actively to its development, and to suggest changes that they consider relevant. This risks turning the ELF into a tool that is disconnected from the actual needs of its stakeholders, thus leading to less incentives to support its functioning. 

Goals

The development of the ELF should facilitate collaboration and participation from stakeholders and experts. With that in mind, the goals of the stakeholder group are to:

1. Ensure that the ELF and eventually the ‘data governance mechanism’ is maintained, implemented, developed and expanded in accordance with its stakeholders priorities and opinions; 
2. Ensure a coordinated and cohesive approach for the ‘data governance mechanism‘ to build on the ELF as well as on other related frameworks and standards such as the Europeana Publishing Framework and the Europeana Data Model alike; 
3. Facilitate a transparent process and strong participation and engagement of all stakeholders they represent, thus increasing their trust in it and willingness to rely on it;
4. Keep the management of the framework or mechanism accountable thus ensuring that continuous and timely progress is made.