The Competition Law Working Group hosts a session featuring a book presentation by Professor Björn Lundqvist (Stockholm University).
In theory, data is free, non-exclusive, and non-rivalrous. Yet, data is off limits for business users of platforms and IoT-systems in the data-driven economy. In his new book, published by Cambridge University Press, Björn examines the infrastructure for collecting, storing, and distributing data to show how it is embedded behind technological barriers for the benefit of few large data-holders and to the detriment of the economy as a whole. He covers recent EU regulations such as the Data Act, Digital Markets Act, Digital Service Act, Digital Governance Act, GDPR, DSM directive and Open Data directive to show whether these legal systems work efficiently so to enable access and transfer of data to the benefit of innovators and entrepreneurs. Björn then proposes that instead of sector specific regulations, the EU should introduce a general access and transfer right to data for users that can work in tandem with data protection rules and intellectual property law. Chapters explore the subject matter of this protection, potential rights holders and the scope of the protection, and exceptions and limitations under intellectual property law and competition law. Regulating Access and Transfer of Data is a comprehensive and timely book that sets the foundations for a new legal system for our data-driven generation.