Coimisiún na Meán welcomes the European Commission’s adoption of the Delegated Act on Data Access. This is a significant milestone in the implementation of the provisions of Article 40 in the Digital Services Act (DSA).
The Delegated Act provides further clarity to researchers around the procedures for researchers, VLOP / VLOSEs (Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines) and DSCs (Digital Service Coordinators) for processing data access applications. We look forward to accepting applications for assessment once the Delegated Act enters into force in the autumn.
Article 40 of the DSA represents an innovative and significant component of the DSA framework. It provides the research community with lawful access to critical data held by VLOPs and VLOSEs, solely for the purpose of conducting research that enhances the detection, identification, and understanding of systemic risks within the Union.
Implementation of data access provisions will enable researchers to produce insights that benefit society by identifying systemic risks in the online environment, informing solutions to challenges identified in risk assessments, and fostering the development of evidence-based risk mitigation measures. Moreover, this research will support robust oversight of DSA compliance, contributing to a safer and more accountable digital ecosystem.
We’ve been collaborating with other DSCs as part of the European Board of Digital Services to cooperate on harmonising the assessment of data access applications. This work will ensure that applications are processed in a consistent manner, regardless of where an application is submitted. We aim, through this process, to provide the necessary guidance and clarity for researchers and data providers to realise the potential of Article 40 DSA.
Find out more about Vetted Researcher Data Access.