Data Act· Article 15b
Only Parliament amendments would change this article. Parliament committees have tabled 2 amendments to this article.
Latest text22 October 2026ST 14756/26
Contains no amendment to this article.
Text
Article 15b Data Act as the JURI draft opinion would amend it
Obligation to make data available for clearly defined public-interest purposes outside public emergencies
Source Parliament, 5 June 2026. Article 15b: COM(2025) 837 with the amendments of JURI-PA-789142 · Amendment 31
A public sector body, the Commission, the European Central Bank, or a Union body may request data from a data holder where the requested data are strictly necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and where the objective cannot reasonably be achieved by other means under equivalent conditions.
Requests under paragraph 1 shall be limited to clearly defined public-interest purposes laid down in Union or Member State law, including public health, environmental protection, market surveillance, consumer protection, fundamental rights protection, public-interest research, and the production of official statistics.
Requests under this Article shall be specific, necessary, proportionate, time-limited, and limited to the minimum data necessary for the stated purpose.
Requests shall concern non-personal data. Where non-personal data are insufficient and personal data are strictly necessary, such data may be requested only where a valid legal basis exists under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation)1 and subject to prior consultation with the competent supervisory authority where the processing is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons.
Data made available under this Article shall be subject to purpose limitation, data minimisation, security, deletion or return obligations, transparency, and independent oversight.
Each request and its legal basis, purpose, data categories, recipient, and duration shall be recorded in a public register, except where publication would seriously undermine the purpose of the request. In such cases, delayed publication shall be required.’;
What each text does
- 19 Nov 2025 Commission proposalCOM(2025) 837 No amendment to this article.
- 5 Jun 2026 JURI draft opinion · Brando Benifei (rapporteur)JURI-PA-789142 1 amendment to this article. Amendments in this document
- 10 Jun 2026 Council textST 10426/26 No amendment to this article.
- 18 Jun 2026 Council textST 10677/26 No amendment to this article.
- 29 Jun 2026 JURI amendments 69–296 to the draft opinionJURI-AM-790236 1 amendment to this article. Amendments in this document
- 3 Sep 2026 Council textST 12535/26 No amendment to this article.
- 2 Oct 2026 Council textST 13886/26 No amendment to this article.
- 22 Oct 2026 Council textST 14756/26 No amendment to this article.
Parliament amendments
2 amendments to this article
2 would add wording.
| Type | Greens/EFA | Rapporteur |
|---|---|---|
| + Addition | 1 | 1 |
By political group
- + Addition Greens/EFA 1 Rapporteur 1
31 +Addition Brando Benifei (rapporteur)Rapporteur · JURI “Article 15b Obligation to make data available for clearly defined public-interest purposes outside public emergencies 1. A public sector body, the…”
Effectnew Parliament proposal instruction expressly deletes existing law
7a. the following Article 15b is inserted
Article 15b
Obligation to make data available for clearly defined public-interest purposes outside public emergencies
1.A public sector body, the Commission, the European Central Bank, or a Union body may request data from a data holder where the requested data are strictly necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and where the objective cannot reasonably be achieved by other means under equivalent conditions.
2.Requests under paragraph 1 shall be limited to clearly defined public-interest purposes laid down in Union or Member State law, including public health, environmental protection, market surveillance, consumer protection, fundamental rights protection, public-interest research, and the production of official statistics.
3.Requests under this Article shall be specific, necessary, proportionate, time-limited, and limited to the minimum data necessary for the stated purpose.
4.Requests shall concern non-personal data. Where non-personal data are insufficient and personal data are strictly necessary, such data may be requested only where a valid legal basis exists under Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation)1 and subject to prior consultation with the competent supervisory authority where the processing is likely to result in a high risk to the rights and freedoms of natural persons.
5.Data made available under this Article shall be subject to purpose limitation, data minimisation, security, deletion or return obligations, transparency, and independent oversight.
6.Each request and its legal basis, purpose, data categories, recipient, and duration shall be recorded in a public register, except where publication would seriously undermine the purpose of the request. In such cases, delayed publication shall be required.’;
Justification
This amendment restores a targeted framework for business-to-government data sharing for clearly defined public-interest purposes beyond public emergencies. It ensures that public authorities may continue to access strategically important data where strictly necessary, while introducing stronger safeguards on necessity, proportionality, transparency and legal certainty.
- Rapporteur
- Brando Benifei
- Group
- Rapporteur
- Targets
- Data Act Article 15 b (new)
- Document
- JURI draft opinion
- Printed header
- Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7 a (new) / Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 / Article 15 b (new)
188 +Addition David CormandGreens/EFA · JURI “Obligation to make data available for exceptional needs other than public emergencies 1. A public sector body, the Commission, the European Central…”
7a. the following Article 15b is inserted
Obligation to make data available for exceptional needs other than public emergencies
1.A public sector body, the Commission, the European Central Bank, or a Union body may request non-personal data from a data holder where the requested data are strictly necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and where the objective cannot reasonably be achieved by other means under equivalent conditions.
2.Requests under paragraph 1 shall be limited to clearly defined public-interest purposes laid down in Union or Member State law, including public health, environmental protection, market surveillance, consumer protection, fundamental rights protection, public-interest research, and the production of official statistics.
3.Requests under this Article shall be specific, necessary, proportionate, time-limited, and limited to the minimum data necessary for the stated purpose.
4.Data made available under this Article shall be subject to purpose limitation, data minimisation, security, deletion or return obligations, transparency, and independent oversight.
6.Each request and its legal basis, purpose, data categories, recipient, and duration shall be recorded in a public register, except where publication would seriously undermine the purpose of the request. In such cases, delayed publication shall be required.
- Tabled by
- David Cormand
- Group
- Greens/EFA
- Targets
- Data Act Article 15 b (new)
- Document
- JURI amendments 69–296 to the draft opinion
- Printed header
- Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point 7 a (new) / Regulation (EU) 2023/2854 / Article 15 b (new)