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The Data Spaces Reference Centre (CRED) of the Secretariat of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence has led the development of the first UNE Specification on data spaces in Spain.
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The document, the result of a broad public-private consensus, establishes a common technical and organisational basis for promoting data sharing across different sectors.
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This is the first standard of its kind published in Spain and will be promoted at the European level through the CEN and CENELEC working groups.
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This standard will help facilitate interoperability, increase confidence in data spaces and accelerate the deployment of use cases in line with the objectives of the data economy.
Madrid, 17 July 2025. The Data Spaces Reference Centre (CRED), initiative of the Secretariat of State for Digitization and Artificial Intelligence of the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function, has led, in collaboration with the Spanish Association for Standardisation (UNE), the development of the first UNE Specification on data spaces in Spain.
Under the title UNE 0087 "Definition and Characterization of Data Spaces", this Specification marks a milestone in the regulatory development of the data economy, by defining the concept of a data space as a key instrument for inclusive and technology-agnostic data sharing, ensuring its applicability across all productive sectors.
Having a UNE Specification on data spaces provides legal and technical certainty, fosters trust and facilitates interoperability and value creation across all sectors. Additionally, it helps accelerate the development of projects and use cases by providing a common language and clear requirements, thereby promoting competitiveness, innovation and digital cohesion within the framework of the data economy in Spain and Europe.
An inclusive reference model aligned with Europe
The new standard, developed within the Subcommittee on Data Governance, Management and Data Spaces (CTN-UNE 71/SC 43), chaired by the Secretariat of State for Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence through the Directorate General of Data, serves as a technical reference guide for creating secure, reliable data spaces aligned with current European regulations.
Public-private consensus process
The Specification has been developed with the active collaboration of more than 50 participants from public and private entities, organised into three specialised working groups that have contributed their knowledge to define the key principles and characteristics of these collaborative ecosystems. It was approved by the technical subcommittee on 20 June and published today, 17 July 2025.
Three fundamental pillars
The document articulates the essential characteristics of data spaces in three pillars:
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Interoperability: enables seamless integration and collaboration between organisations and systems.
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Governance: establishes principles, rules and processes for the regulation, management and operation of the space, ensuring participation, accountability, trust, security and privacy in accordance with European regulations.
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Value creation: fosters new business models and use cases that promote innovation, the provision of enabling services and the generation of value from data.
