Extract from Anita Hodea and Trisha Sircar’s article “The EU Data Act is Here”
The European Union (EU) Data Act (EDA) came into force on January 11, 2024, and took effect on September 12, 2025. It is set to reshape how companies handle data generated by connected products, smart devices and cloud services across Europe. Its goal is to create a fairer and more competitive digital economy by enhancing user rights, ensuring fair access to and sharing of data, and maintaining robust data protection safeguards.
Applicability: Who Must Comply?
The EDA applies widely across industries, including both EU and non-EU organisations that manufacture or offer connected products across the EU, process user-generated data within the EU or provide data processing services to users in the European Economic Area (EEA). Any connected product that generates or collects data in the course of its use and communicates it via the internet or another network will fall within the scope of the EDA.
