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(EU Data Act, EHDS, eIDAS2)The EU’s data strategy is reshaping fundamental assumptions about ownership, access, and control in digital products. With the EU Data Act now applicable, software companies must rethink how data generated by connected products and services is accessed, shared, and monetized. This is not a narrow compliance exercise; it is a structural intervention into business models that have historically relied on data exclusivity and switching friction.The Data Act introduces a “data access by default” principle for users of connected products, coupled with fairness requirements in B2B contracts. These provisions challenge entrenched contractual terms and technical architectures, particularly in cloud and platform environments. Customers are entitled to clearer access rights, and competitors may gain regulated pathways to data that was previously locked in. For cloud services, switching and portability obligations directly target technical and commercial barriers that have long underpinned retention strategies.Sector-specific initiatives amplify this shift. The European Health Data Space (EHDS) introduces complex governance requirements for health data, balancing primary use, secondary use, interoperability, and security. For software companies operating in health, medtech, insurance, or research ecosystems, EHDS compliance will influence product design, access controls, and cross-border data strategies for years to come.eIDAS2 and the European Digital Identity Wallet further extend the regulatory footprint into onboarding, authentication, and trust services. For software providers involved in identity verification, digital signatures, or credential management, wallet-based flows will become an expected option rather than an innovation feature. This brings both opportunity and obligation: products that integrate seamlessly with EU trust frameworks may gain market advantage, while those that resist may face friction in regulated customer journeys.From a strategic perspective, the common thread is interoperability with accountability. Regulators are not mandating open data without limits; they are mandating controlled, transparent, and fair access. This requires careful alignment between legal terms, technical implementation, and operational governance. Data access rights that exist on paper but cannot be delivered in practice will not withstand scrutiny.Organizations that treat data regulation as a product design input—rather than a legal constraint—can turn compliance into differentiation. Clear data access mechanisms, transparent contracts, and credible switching readiness can become trust signals in increasingly regulated markets. Those that delay may find themselves forced into reactive redesign under regulatory or customer pressure, with far less strategic control.
