Creating a decentralized European data space: The GAIA-X Foundation was launched in June with this goal in mind. The Foundation pursues the idea of a general abstract layer for the exchange of data and services between providers and users while strictly observing data sovereignty - just like the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance. The only difference is that the GAIA-X Foundation approaches this idea at a higher level, between user domains such as transportation, manufacturing technology, finance and agriculture. Gerd Hoppe and Nils Herzberg, as representatives of the respective groups, explain the background.

The status quo of the GAIA-X Foundation

Gerd Hoppe: "We want to minimize dependencies on providers and their data access policies."

© Beckhoff

Gerd Hoppe, Founding Member Representative of GAIA-X, Beckhoff Automation, takes a stand.

Mr. Hoppe, the GAIA-X Foundation was launched in June. How has the response been since then? What has changed in terms of content?

Gerd Hoppe: The response has been overwhelming because the idea seems so obvious! We are currently in the process of forming a network consisting of the central association, national and domain-specific hubs for providers and users as well as many interested associations and organizations.

The main goal of the GAIA-X Foundation is ultimately to guarantee five basic principles for open data exchange - in other words, to define mechanisms in terms of data sovereignty. Does this mean that the tasks and lifespan of a GAIA-X Foundation are ultimately very limited?

We are talking here about the emergence of federated services as an intermediate layer for a hybrid federated data ecosystem in which Europe and the world can move data according to rules and contracting located in Europe. This is an offering on the market that does not yet exist in Europe. And I am sure that the development of the data ecosystem will certainly not end with the unique establishment of this offering.

Experts from eight European countries are involved in joint meetings. Is this a basis for achieving results quickly and efficiently? Or is this yet another synchronization monster that is doomed to fail from the outset?

The response has been overwhelming: there are now 500 to 600 participants, including a large number from outside Europe. And yet: no 'synchronization monster' can emerge. There is no basis for this, neither regulatory nor technical.

GAIA-X makes an offer on the market to standardize access to each other, the principles of interaction, regulation, the choice of geography and security. This is intended for all those who want to find easier access to their customers; who want to focus on their apps, their data spaces and business cases and who still want to minimize their dependencies on providers and their data access policies. So there are many good reasons to set up a hybrid and decentralized European data space. Ultimately, this is precisely to avoid developing a synchronized character.

Industrial companies are increasingly becoming dependent on established cloud providers. The GAIA-X work cannot necessarily prevent such dependency per se. Are there any plans at European level - perhaps in the slipstream of a GAIA-X Foundation - to break this supremacy?

The GAIA-X idea is not in competition with existing offers on the market. The providers you mentioned will also be found on GAIA-X. The GAIA-X ecosystem simply makes it easier for providers and users to set up their own data spaces thanks to an underlying, abstract system of technology and policies that connects providers and users across domains.

Cooperation partner Open Industry 4.0 Alliance?

Nils Herzberg: "Our members are actively involved in many committees at GAIA-X."

© SAP

Nils Herzberg, Spokesman of the Executive Board of the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance, SAP, explains the proximity to the GAiA-X Foundation.

Mr. Herzberg, you published a press release in September in which you emphasized your proximity to the GAIA-X Foundation. What kind of proximity is this?

Nils Herzberg: The Open Industry 4.0 Alliance focuses on establishing interoperable Industry 4.0 solutions and services. GAIA-X's approach as a secure and trustworthy data infrastructure for Europe fits in very well, especially as this infrastructure is also intended to meet the data sovereignty requirements of German industrial companies.

Why do you think existing cloud offerings do not yet meet the needs of industry?

In general, there is no hybrid architecture that meets the requirements of the manufacturing industry with its high demands on response times and reliability. The Open Industry 4.0 Alliance has presented such a reference architecture. In addition to the sensible cloud elements, this also takes into account the requirement for open 'edges'. This combination of cloud and edge is very popular and is already being offered by many renowned companies.

You intend to align your offerings with the GAIA-X initiative. What exactly does that mean?

Our members are actively involved in many GAIA-X committees and contribute their findings. Furthermore, board members of the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance are also involved in leading roles at GAIA-X. We believe that our commitment, but also our work, creates a feedback flow from the real world into the GAIA-X committees. At the same time, with the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance, GAIA-X has a focused implementation community on its doorstep!

Are the targeted coordination activities all still declarations of intent or is it already possible to work with certain results today?

As far as I know, the Alliance has already made submissions on the requirements for the security of hybrid architectures.

What is your future roadmap for the GAIA-X collaboration?

Last but not least, we are working on the success of GAIA-X - albeit perhaps indirectly - by implementing and promoting other standards such as the administration shell in the Industrial Digital Twin Association or data sovereignty within the International Data Space Association. Overall, the Open Industry 4.0 Alliance supports GAIA-X on many levels as a user and implementation alliance!