European Health Data Space

The European Health Data Space (EHDS) is a European Union regulation on the use and exchange of electronic health data in the European Union. The EHDS was tabled as a regulatory proposal by the European Commission on 3 May 2022. It was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 5 March 2025 and entered into force on 26 March 2025. It has two primary aims: to provide EU citizens better control over their personal health data, and to ensure that various actors such as researchers, companies, and policy-makers can apply for access to health data for secondary purposes. In order to achieve these aims, the regulation provides the Commission with the authority to set standards for electronic health records and thereby enhance interoperability.