Common #European #DataSpaces under #EULaw: State of Play and Future Perspectives – Leander Stähler

PLAMADISO Talk by Leander Stähler (KU Leuven CiTiP – imec) – 1 June 2026 || Organized by the Research Group "Digital Economy, Internet Ecosystem & Internet Policy" @Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society Title "Common European Data Spaces under EU Law: State of Play and Future Perspectives" Abstract In recent years, the European Union (EU) has invested a significant amount of effort and resources into the development of common European data spaces as the digital infrastructure through which different types of stakeholders can engage in practices of data sharing. This talk places common European data spaces in their legal context, outlines key regulatory compliance issues that data spaces aim to tackle as well as their approach to contractual relationships. Further, it highlights the role of legal questions that are unique to 'data' under recent EU legislation, as well as the position of data spaces thereunder. Looking forward, the talk hones in on unique aspects that data spaces raise for applicable law. Data spaces raise questions for legal frameworks including trade secrets law, competition law and copyright law, while also operationalising new aspects of data legislation. While challenging, this also opens up the possibility to foster greater coherence among regimes. Namely, this can be done by fostering legal approaches that focus on the role of data spaces as 'infrastructure'. At the same time, the EU's ambitions concerning competitiveness will be a lodestar. The talk therefore highlights how data spaces may assist in identifying legal frictions, pinpointing how data spaces can formulate supportive approaches. Short Bio Leander Stähler is a doctoral researcher at the KU Leuven Centre for IT and IP Law (CiTiP). He studied law and economics in Maastricht, Detroit and Utrecht. His doctoral research applies a law and political economy (LPE) approach to the EU regulation of non-personal data, focusing on power relations in the private sector and the role of technologies and private ordering, including data spaces. His work addresses issues of law and technology, including the role of copyright in the EU data economy, EU data and digital regulation, socio-technical constructs such as data spaces, the enforcement of EU law, and the interface between competition law and IP, especially copyright More about Lander Stähler: Website: https://www.law.kuleuven.be/citip/en/... Stay tuned for future events: https://plamadiso.weizenbaum-institut.de Follow us on LinkedIn:   / plamadiso   Find all PLAMADISO Talks in our playlist:    • Plamadiso Talks   The Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society: https://weizenbaum-institut.de/