Across Europe and beyond, standardization bodies are translating the principles of trusted data sharing into formal specifications. The International Data Spaces Association (IDSA) is at the center of that process.
Standardization has become the critical next step for data spaces. Across the European Union and internationally, technical committees and regulatory bodies are developing the shared rules that will enable interoperable, sovereign, and trusted data sharing at scale. This article traces the key standardization efforts underway, explains what they cover, and shows how IDSA connects implementation experience with the formal standard-setting process.
The mandate for common standards
Data spaces depend on shared rules. Without agreed specifications for identity verification, data discovery, contract negotiation, and access control, interoperability between organizations and across sectors remains aspirational. That is the argument driving a growing wave of standardization activity, as technical committees at European and international level translate the design principles established by IDSA and its partners into certifiable, broadly applicable standards.
The EU Data Act, the Data Governance Act (DGA), and the EU AI Act each introduce requirements for interoperability, trust, and technical infrastructure that data spaces are well-positioned to meet, but only if common technical foundations exist. Standardization is the mechanism that turns regulatory expectation into operational reality.
A European effort in full swing
The most consequential near-term development in Europe is the European Commission’s Standardization Request M/614, issued under Article 33 of the Data Act. The request tasks CEN, CENELEC, and ETSI with producing seven standardization deliverables by 2027, covering trusted data transactions, semantic asset frameworks, data catalogue implementation, internal data governance quality, and a maturity model for Common European Data Spaces. Two of the resulting standards are intended for citation in the Official Journal of the European Union, giving them a direct role in legal compliance.
The committee responsible for much of this work is CEN-CENELEC Joint Technical Committee 25 (JTC 25), titled “Data Management, Dataspaces, Cloud and Edge.” Launched in September 2024, JTC 25 is developing the Trusted Data Transactions (TDT) standard series in parallel with work on data quality, trust frameworks, and interoperability architecture. The first part of the harmonized TDT standard is in publication. Parts two and three are advancing through approval and drafting stages respectively.
The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) is contributing through its Technical Committee on Data (TC DATA), with a focus on data discovery mechanisms, metadata exchange, and semantic interoperability, directly supporting the Article 33 standardization request in collaboration with JTC 25.
International dimensions
The standardization effort extends well beyond Europe. Within ISO/IEC Joint Technical Committee 1, Subcommittee 38 (ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC38), which covers cloud computing and distributed platforms, several data space standards are advancing. ISO/IEC DIS 20151-1, which defines core data space concepts and characteristics, is expected to be published later this year.
The ISO/IEC DIS 26450 Dataspace Protocol (DSP) and ISO/IEC DIS 26451 Decentralized Claims Protocol (DCP), both derived from Eclipse Dataspace Working Group specifications that are based on IDSA’s work, are under DIS ballot with publication also anticipated in late 2026. Together, DSP and DCP form an interoperability stack covering communication, identity management, and trust verification.
Beyond ISO, the IEEE P3800 series addresses data trading systems and data space discovery protocols, while IEEE P1988 is developing a data space architecture framework integrating privacy technologies. Japan and China are both advancing domestic frameworks aligned with these international efforts, and initiatives such as the Japan Data Space Alliance and China’s SAC/TC609 technical committee reflect growing momentum outside Europe.
IDSA’s role in the process
IDSA occupies a specific position in this landscape: it is both a contributor to standards and a connector between industry implementation and the formal standardization process. The IDS Reference Architecture Model (IDS-RAM), the IDSA Rulebook, and the Dataspace Protocol served as foundational inputs to ISO/IEC 20151-1 and the Eclipse-derived standards now progressing through ISO. IDSA’s engagement with JTC 25 and ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC38 ensures that the experience of real-world deployment informs the specifications being written.
At the same time, IDSA has identified persistent gaps in the current standardization landscape. Metadata governance, usage control policies, ontology alignment, and cross-sector interoperability remain areas where further formal work is needed. These gaps inform the agenda of CEN-CENELEC JTC 25 and are being addressed through new preliminary work items covering data quality and trust frameworks.
Toward operational standards
The convergence of IDSA’s work with emerging ISO, CEN-CENELEC, and IEEE standards marks a transition from specification to norm. Organizations building data sharing infrastructure today are increasingly doing so against a backdrop of standards that are approaching publication.
The period ahead will determine how well those standards serve the practical needs of deployment, and IDSA’s continued involvement in that process, alongside the broader stakeholder community convened through initiatives like the Data Space Adoption Forum, will be central to the answer.
On 10 September 2026, 9:00–10:00 am CET, IDSA hosts a Tech Talk introducing the second version of its Position Paper “Data Spaces Standardization Landscape,” mapping how the IDS Reference Architecture Model (IDS-RAM), the IDSA Rulebook and the Dataspace Protocol (DSP) align with key standardization bodies and the EU regulatory framework.
The session also looks beyond Europe at emerging activity in regions such as Japan and China, and closes with an open call for community contributions to shape Version 3.0. Register here.
