Creating value through open data : study on the impact of re-use of public data resources

Within the context of the launch of the European Data Portal, further evidence of the quantitative impact of re-use of Open Data is measured. The aim of this study is to collect, assess and aggregate economic evidence to forecast the benefits of the re-use of Open Data for the EU28+. Four key indicators are measured: direct market size, number of jobs created, cost savings, and efficiency gains. Between 2016 and 2020, the market size of Open Data is expected to increase by 36.9%, to a value of 75.7 bn EUR in 2020. The forecasted number of direct Open Data jobs in 2016 is 75,000 jobs. From 2016 to 2020, almost 25,000 extra direct Open Data jobs are created. The forecasted public sector cost savings for the EU28+ in 2020 are 1.7 bn EUR. Efficiency gains are measured in a qualitative approach. A combination of insights around efficiency gains of Open Data, and real-life examples is provided. To measure the success of Open Data policies, a series of recommendations is put forward to help governments keep track of the direct and indirect benefits of their policies. This is key in further accelerating the publishing of Open Data and encouraging its re-use.