As Europe navigates the dynamic digital landscape, 2024 stands out as a pivotal year, not just for groundbreaking initiatives like the Artificial Intelligence Act or advancements in health data management, but also for a significant milestone in open data maturity. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Open Data Maturity (ODM) assessment, a flagship publication documenting the progress of European countries in fostering open data accessibility and reuse.

Since its inception, the ODM assessment has evolved to measure maturity across the entire open data value chain, spanning policy, portal functionality, data quality, and societal impact. In 2023, the report saw participation from 35 countries, reflecting a growing commitment to open data principles across Europe.

While countries have made strides in establishing open data policies and modern portals, the focus has shifted to enhancing metadata quality for reusers. However, challenges persist in maximizing the societal impact of open data initiatives, necessitating improved measurement techniques and ongoing policy refinement.

Looking ahead, 2024 brings the implementation of regulations on high-value datasets, poised to catalyse digital innovation by setting additional requirements for certain categories of open data. As the open data landscape continues to evolve, the ODM report remains a vital tool, providing insights, best practices, and annual snapshots of progress.

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