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Updated Wednesday, December 14, 2011 0:37 am TWN, Reuters |
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EU Commission launches legislation for cheaper, easier public data accessIf approved, the law could generate an additional 40 billion euros (US$53 billion) in economic activity in the EU each year, the Commission said. For example, transport and construction companies may benefit from easier access to weather information and geographical data could be tailored for smartphones. “Taxpayers have already paid for this information, the least we can do is give it back to those who want to use it in new ways that help people and create jobs and growth,” said Neelie Kroes, the EU commissioner for digital technology policy. The draft law states that the price of access to public information should be no more than the cost of releasing and reproducing that data. It aims to standardize rules governing access to public data by individuals and companies across the 27-nation bloc and may be in place by 2013. | |||||||||||||