The document discusses the proposed revision of the PSI (Public Sector Information) Directive, which aims to promote the reuse of public sector data. The key changes proposed include creating a genuine right to reuse public data, lowering the charging ceiling to marginal costs, shifting the burden of proving compliance with charging rules to public bodies, and requiring independent supervision of the rules. The expected impacts are higher incentives for PSI reuse leading to more competition and innovation, increased public efficiency and data quality, and indirect economic benefits for Europe estimated at €140 billion from further opening up public sector information.

1. Revision of the PSI Directive
Challenges & opportunities
PSI Alliance
5 June 2012
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2. Importance of the context
  A strategy for smart,  One of the seven flagship
sustainable and initiatives of Europe 2020,
inclusive growth set out to define the key
enabling role that the use of
ICTs will have to play if
  A vision to achieve Europe wants to succeed in
high levels of its ambitions for 2020.
employment, a low
carbon economy,  The overall aim […] is to
productivity and social deliver sustainable economic
and social benefits from a
cohesion, to be digital single market […]
implemented through
concrete actions at EU  Action 3: Open up public
and national levels. data resources for re-use 2

3. Open (public data): why does it matter for Europe?
• 1. Untapped business and economic opportunities:
data is the new gold; possible direct and indirect gains of
€140bln across the EU27
• 2. Better governance and citizen empowerment:
open data increases transparency, citizen participation and
administrative efficiency and accountability
• 3. Addressing societal challenges: data can enhance
sustainability of health care systems; essential for tackling
environmental challenges
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4. Current rules & current problems
 A minimal set of rules on fair competition, transparency
and practical requirements
 No right to re-use public data
 A very permissive charging ceiling  instances of over-
charging
 Since 2003 much improvement but "PSI culture" still in the
making
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5. Revision of the Directive – main proposed changes
 Creation of a genuine right to re-use public data: all public data not
covered by an exception is to be re-usable
 Charging rules are amended:
• Tariff ceiling lowered to marginal costs
• In exceptional cases  possibility to recover costs and claim a reasonable
return on investment if duly justified
• Burden of proving compliance with charging rules shifts to public bodies
 Independent supervision of application of the rules is required
 Limited extension of scope  application of the minimal set of rules
of the 2003 Directive with additional safeguards
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6. Revision of the PSI Directive – Expected Impact
Economic analysis  lower charges and more re-use friendly
regulation significantly impact the PSI market:
•higher incentives to engage in PSI re-use  more competition and innovation & SMEs
more likely to enter the re-use market
•PB's revenues from re-use generally insignificant with respect to their total budget
(mostly less than 1 %, rarely more than 15 %); price elasticity effect  actual revenues
of PB's increase
•public efficiency and data quality increase
•direct revenues to governments from PSI re-use are much lower than benefits from
easier re-use of PSI (some 1-2% of the aggregate economic impacts from further
opening up PSI estimated at € 140 billion)
•Indirect effects of reduced access: lower growth, reduced dynamism of new
information-based industries and foregone government tax revenues from higher-growth
industries 6

7. Thank you for your attention!
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