Dubai adopts open data law

18 October 2015

Law enables sharing of non-confidential data between government and other entities

  • Law completes Dubai Smart City legislative framework
  • Integrated platform to make data accessible to researchers, investors and developers

Dubai signed and released the Dubai Open Data Law on 17 October, according to the national Emirates News Agency (WAM).

The law enables sharing of non-confidential data between the government, private sector and individuals to complete the legislative framework for transforming Dubai into a smart city.

The legislation will make data accessible to researchers, investors and service developers through an integrated platform.

It is envisaged to create opportunities for collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship between government and non-government entities, which would in turn increase the competitiveness of data providers at local, regional and international levels.

“The new law will…remove the last legal obstacles for those interested in investing in the digital economy,” WAM quoted Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the UAE’s Vice-President and Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, as saying. “It will also complete the legislative framework of Dubai Smart City.”

The data law lays down clear rules and mechanisms, making it obligatory for all government departments to share their data with each other in order to unify all Dubai-related data and provide unified and integrated services to the public.

The draft law was submitted for approval during the first half of 2015.

Abdullah al-Madani, CEO of corporate technical services at Dubai’s Roads & Transport Authority (RTA), said in June that the draft law proposes a centralised data classification system or registry. 

For instance, data sets that carry little to no confidentiality risks, such as weather forecasts and public transport schedules, will be open to the public. Data sets that carry high privacy, security and confidentiality risks, such as individual health records, can only be shared under specific limitations, such as in an emergency.

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