Austria Implements Data Access Law to Enhance Public Administration Efficiency

Austria's Data Access Law has been in effect since July, but its practical implementation remains challenging. Institutions must verify if information can be derived before requesting it, a practice highlighted by Lenk from her experience in Switzerland.

The political landscape significantly impacts the law's execution, with efforts needed to encourage various administrative bodies to register their metadata. Initially, the focus will be on making federal registers visible, with potential future involvement from universities and hospitals.

The implementation must also consider the European Health Data Space, managed by Gesundheit Österreich GmbH, to avoid duplicative metadata collection. The Austrian Micro Data Center (AMDC) is already utilizing pseudonymized microdata for research, which will be integrated with Dadex as part of the law's execution. Furthermore, reforms are underway to ease registration burdens for businesses, benefiting around 4,000 companies next year.