The Eclipse Foundation advances dataspace protocols toward ISO/IEC standardisation
The Eclipse Foundation, in collaboration with the Eclipse Dataspace Working Group (EDWG), introduced two new protocol specifications designed to support interoperable and secure data sharing. These protocols aim to establish open data spaces that preserve data control for participating entities and will be submitted for international standardisation through the ISO/IEC JTC1 Predictive Alerting System (PAS) process.
These developments address operational needs for managing data sovereignty by facilitating controlled exchanges within dataspaces. They contribute to frameworks supporting trusted and transparent data-sharing practices relevant for entities prioritizing control over their information and privacy protection.
The first protocol, the Eclipse Dataspace Protocol, specifies the technical foundation for data sharing interoperability across dataspaces, including catalogues, contracts, and data planes. The second, the Eclipse Dataspace Decentralised Claims Protocol, provides methods for decentralised trust and credential verification involving multiple credential issuers without relying on third-party verification.
The Eclipse Dataspace Working Group detailed these protocols as components of a unified open dataspace protocol stack, essential for enabling interoperability and secure data exchange. This technical stack supports ongoing and future efforts to define Dataspace Trust frameworks and extend these capabilities in 2026.
Mike Milinkovich, executive director of the Eclipse Foundation, said, “Open source is at the heart of digital sovereignty. By aligning open standards with community-driven innovation, we give organisations the ability to retain control over their data and infrastructure. These new protocols, and their path toward international standardisation, demonstrate how open collaboration strengthens trust and interoperability across the global data economy.” Anish Karmarkar, ISO/IEC SC38 chair, added, “The collaboration between the open source community and global standardisation organisations is crutial. We are pleased to see this partnership crystalising through ISO/IEC JTC1 SC38 activities, and we welcome the PAS transposition of EDWG standards as an important step into the right direction.” Javier Valiño, Program Manager for Dataspaces at the Eclipse Foundation, stated, “The Eclipse Dataspace Working Group’s progress shows how open collaboration can produce technologies that are both practical and globally relevant. We are helping organisations worldwide build trustworthy dataspaces and advance secure, sovereign data sharing across industries and borders.”
The Eclipse Foundation outlined plans to maintain active participation within international standards committees, particularly ISO/IEC JTC1 SC38 and CEN/CENELEC JTC25, to support harmonised standards aligning with European Commission initiatives such as the EU Data Act. The organisation’s efforts intend to link open source innovation with formal global standardisation processes to foster interoperable data ecosystems.