From Strategy to Reality: Gaia-X Spain Strengthens the Foundations of Europe’s Data Economy

The Gaia-X Spain 2025 Meeting, held at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Telecomunicación (ETSIT) of the  Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), brought together European institutions, public administrations, industry leaders and research organizations to advance a shared goal: turning Europe’s data strategy into a trusted, interoperable and sovereign data economy.

The event focused on two core challenges for the deployment of data spaces at scale: interoperability and governance. Expert panels highlighted that interoperability is essential to unlock real value from data sharing, that standardization is key to avoiding new digital silos, and that demonstrator projects are crucial to validating these principles in real-world environments. Governance discussions emphasized trust, clear frameworks and shared models as prerequisites for scaling complex and sustainable data ecosystems.

The meeting concluded with the signing of a collaboration agreement between Gaia-X Hub Spain and DAMA Spain, reinforcing public-private cooperation and opening new opportunities for joint activities, shared knowledge and practical impact across the Spanish data ecosystem.

UPM played a central role as host institution and active contributor. Within Gaia-X Spain, the university is represented by IPTC researchers Joaquín Salvachúa and José Andrés Muñoz Arcentales, both members of the initiative’s leadership structures. Notably, Joaquín Salvachúa has been involved in Gaia-X since Spain joined the initiative in 2021, reflecting a sustained commitment from UPM to the long-term development of the European data ecosystem.

With high participation and strong institutional support, the Gaia-X Spain 2025 Meeting reaffirmed a key message: without interoperability, governance and collaboration, a viable data economy is not possible.

Joaquín Salvachúa: GS / ORCID/ LinkedIn

José Andrés Muñoz de Arcentales: GS/ ORCID / LinkedIn

More information:

Gaia X Spain: https://gaiax-spain.com/

Data spaces: https://datos.gob.es/es/blog/por-que-espacios-de-datos

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/iptc-upm/

For more information: www.iptc.upm.es

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