The European Language Data Space (LDS) is designed as an ecosystem of organisations. Users who own language data and those who want to use language data can perform all actions related to their data assets and interact with other stakeholders within the platform in a secure way and in full compliance with EU laws and regulations.
The main component is the LDS connector. This small piece of software is installed on the users' systems and it enables the participation in the data space as well as the execution of all operations around data exchange, such as the publication, search, negotiation and transfer of data products.
What's new in v4.0.0
The LDS v4.0.0 release marks a major step forward for the Language Data Space, delivering significant enhancements across the infrastructure and an improved experience for all LDS user roles. Building on existing capabilities, this release makes the platform more intuitive, flexible, and comprehensive, while introducing new enhancements that strengthen interoperability, usability, and trust across the ecosystem.
Key highlights include:
Greater semantic interoperability
Greater semantic interoperability through support for multiple metadata model versions, initially for LanguageDCAT-AP v0.9.3 and v0.9.5.
New messaging and notification capabilities
New messaging and notification capabilities which enable communication between participants and broadcast announcements from the LDS Registry.
Enhanced metadata editor
An enhanced metadata editor with Markdown support for richer and more user-friendly metadata creation.
Expanded policy support
Expanded policy support, including ready-to-use contract policies for open licences and policies restricting access to EU-registered and EU-controlled organisations.
Improved file transfer, storage management and connector monitoring
Improved file transfer, storage management and connector monitoring, delivering a smoother and more reliable operational experience.
Enhanced data lifecycle management
Enhanced data lifecycle management through validation and monitoring of changes to published assets and offers.
Support for externally hosted open datasets
Support for externally hosted open datasets, allowing organisations to publish metadata for datasets stored outside the organisations' storage locations.
Upgrade of the LDS Connector to EDC v13.2
Upgrade of the LDS Connector to EDC v13.2, ensuring compatibility with the latest Eclipse Dataspace Connector technologies.
Redesigned Central Catalogue
A redesigned Central Catalogue highlighting highlighting EU-registered and EU-controlled participants and their offerings, making trusted European resources easier to discover.
Simplified installation and seamless upgrades
Simplified installation and seamless upgrades, enabling new participants to onboard more easily while allowing existing deployments to migrate without data loss.
How to get started
To apply for a participation in the LDS, the legal representative (or a delegated person) of an interested organisation fills in the application form and provides the necessary information to verify the eligibility of the organisation.
The LDS Governance Board will assess the application and approve or reject it in compliance with the governance framework.
Once the application is approved, the organisation will receive additional instructions on the technical procedure for accessing the LDS ecosystem and for the installation and configuration of the LDS connector.
Please note that only legal entities established in an EU member state are eligible to participate in the LDS marketplace. The data products to be offered must be under full ownership of (or include clear distribution rights to) the stakeholder who is publishing the offer.
We are happy to help!
The LDS user guide is organised in the form of a walkthrough, describing how to become a member of the LDS marketplace, how to install the required technical components and how to operate the LDS connector.
The LDS legal and technical helpdesks will support users during the testing phase and beyond and provide assistance for any questions or issues.
