Data governance

Up-to-date information on the registration of data intermediation services and data altruism organisations

General information

The European Union (EU) Data Governance Act (DGA) – also known as the DGA Regulation – aims to increase trust in data exchange and data availability and to overcome technical barriers to the reuse of data. It also supports the establishment and development of common European data spaces in strategic areas involving both private and public actors in fields such as health, the environment, energy, agriculture, mobility, finance, manufacturing, public administration, and skills.

Both independent organisations that only offer data brokerage services and companies that offer data brokerage services in addition to other services could act as trusted intermediaries. Institutions that make relevant data available on the basis of data altruism can register as "data altruistic organisations recognised in the European Union".

Stakeholders

• Data intermediation services are expected to play a key role in the European and Austrian data economy. They act as neutral intermediaries between data holders and data users.
• Data altruism organisations operate on a not-for-profit basis and allow data holders to donate data in order to pursue general interest objectives. Recognised data altruism organisations are subject to special requirements to protect the rights and interests of data subjects and data holders with regard to their data.

Competent authority

The competent authority for the registration of data intermediation services and data altruism organisations (DAOs) is located in the Federal Chancellery. This authority is responsible for registering, monitoring and designating these parties. The legal bases for the competent authority's activities are the EU Data Governance Act (DGA – Regulation (EU) 2022/868) and the Austrian Data Access Act (Datenzugangsgesetz – DZG, BGBl I Nr. 33/2025).

The competent authority is in close cooperation with the Austrian Data Protection Authority (DPA, Datenschutzbehörde – DSB), the Federal Competition Authority (Bundeswettbewerbsbehörde – BWB), the authorities responsible for cybersecurity, and other relevant specialist authorities. In accordance with their respective powers, these authorities exchange the information necessary for the performance of their duties, and endeavour to ensure consistency in the decisions made in the application of the Regulation.

Tasks

• Registering data intermediation services and recording data altruism organisations, as well as verifying the conditions laid down in articles 11, 12, 18, 19, 20 and 21 Data Governance Act
• Maintaining a register of registered data intermediation services and data altruism organisations in Austria
• Examining applications with regard to the display of official labels and common logos for data intermediation services and data altruism organisations
  • Label and logo for data intermediation services (article 11 paragraph 9 Data Governance Act):

• Label and logo for data altruism organisations (article 17 paragraph 2 Data Governance Act):

• Investigating data intermediation services and data altruism organisations in the event of complaints from natural or legal persons pursuant to article 27 Data Governance Act and section 3 paragraph 2 DZG
• Notifying the European Commission of all registered data intermediation services for recording in the EU register of data intermediation services (→ EU)^{German text}

Legal bases

• Regulation (EU) 2022/868 on European data governance and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (Data Governance Act)
• Datenzugangsgesetz (DZG)