Data sovereignty for a sustainable, competitive society

Location: Friday, 26 August, 15:00 to approx. 18:00, Alpbach, Feuerwehrhaus

With extensive global digitalisation in all areas of society, our data sovereignty becomes a core aspect to ensure economic growth and social justice in Europe and to manage climate change. This workshop will discuss the social and economic aspects of data-driven value creation and the EU key initiative Gaia-X.

Background

With the momentum of extensive global digitalisation in all areas of life, the prosperity of our and future generations will be significantly influenced by emerging data-based business models. So far, however, Europe has not been able to transfer its economic strength and political influence into the digital space. None of the global internet or data companies come from Europe. The dependency - especially on US IT providers and Asian manufacturing - is obvious. Based on its strengths, Europe must find its own way to reduce existing dependencies, strengthen resilience and use this for its global competitiveness.

So far, only a few globally active companies have been successful in the data business. Today, these few companies store and process most of the world's data, the raw material for digital business models and artificial intelligence training. Current monopoly structures impair participation in new business models and hinder innovation and further development. Challenges such as pandemics, climate crises and increasing resource scarcity cannot be met without the use of digital technologies and the widespread use of data (e.g. in research).

Europe needs new regulatory strategies and laws for dealing with data, but it also needs new skills and new IT services. It needs open and fair data ecosystems that counteract dependence on individual monopoly providers and support interoperability and flexibility in data exchange. This will create the preconditions for a secure and trustworthy data economy based on a globally competitive EU social and economic area.

The European Data Strategy and Gaia-X

In 2020, the European Data Strategy laid the foundation for a data market based on European values. It will invest €4-6 billion in common European data spaces and a European federation of cloud infrastructures and services over the next few years. The EU Gaia-X initiative supports the European strategy to achieve sustainable data sovereignty, reduce dependency in the economy on single players and enable new global competitive business models.

This workshop discusses the strategic dimension of the new, evolving data-driven economy for Austria and in the EU and presents current best practice activities and projects in the Gaia-X context. The following questions will be discussed in the Gaia-X working group:

• How can Europe survive in this global competition?
• What does a data-based economy mean for European companies?
• How can Europe shape the future of the digital economy according to its values and goals?
• How can we use innovative data ecosystems to deal with climate change and thus contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases in a sustainable way?
• What are the goals of Gaia-X?
• How can Gaia-X help Austrian companies and Austria as a digital location?

Agenda

Podium

• Florian Tursky, A, Staatssekretär für Digitalisierung und Telekommunikation, Bundesministerium für Finanzen (BMF)
• Henriette Spyra, A, Sektionsleiterin Innovation & Technologie, Bundesministerium für Klimaschutz, Umwelt, Energie, Mobilität, Innovation und Technologie (BMK) 
• Roland Fadrany, A, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gaia-X European Association for Data and Cloud AISBL
• Thomas Hahn, D, Siemens AG, Chief Expert Software und Präsident der Data Value Association (BDVA), Board Member der Gaia-X AISBL
• Jochen Borenich, A, Member of the Executive Board, K-Businesscom
• Christof Tschohl, A, Leiter Research Institute - Digital Human Rights Center
• Helmut Leopold (Moderator), A, Chairman Gaia-X Hub Austria, Head of Center AIT Austrian Institute of Technology

Workshop Praxisteil: Vorstellung und Diskussion von Gaia-X Anwendungsbeispielen

• Use-Case 1: Kreislaufwirtschaft
  • Roland Fadrany, A, GAIA-X AISBL
  • Mario Drobics, A, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Gaia-X Hub Austria
  • Christian Tauber, A, K-Businesscom, Gaia-X Hub Austria

• Use Case 2: Produktion/Logistik
  • Roland Sommer, A, CEO Industrie 4.0 Plattform, Gaia-X Hub Austria
  • Thomas Hahn, D, Siemens, Gaia-X
  • Tobias Höllwarth, A, EuroCloud, Gaia-X Hub Austria

Please find the workshop description as PDF for download here (working language: German)

More Information and Tickets here.