The Concept of Data Altruism of the draft DGA and the GDPR: Inconsistencies and Why a Regulatory Sandbox Model May Facilitate Data Sharing in the EU

The concept of data altruism in the draft of the Data Governance Act (DGA) aims at promoting non-profit data sharing in the EU, focusing solely on setting incentives for individuals, especially by increasing their trust in data altruism organisations. This paper examines the new provisions on data altruism in the context of EU legislation relating to data (protection). One of the main objectives of the draft is the guarantee of a high data protection level. There are, however, numerous frictions between the GDPR and the draft. Moreover, the DGA does not set any incentives with regard to data altruism organisations. Taking into account the high relevance of data sharing for the greater good, especially for research purposes, the introduction of a regulatory sandbox should be discussed.