On 10 July 2026, European data portal hosted a webinar “Data without borders: discover the role of non-EU countries in European data initiatives”. dedicated to the role of non-EU countries in the European open data ecosystem. As part of the webinar, representatives from Serbia and Ukraine shared their experiences in developing national open data ecosystems, promoting data reuse and aligning their activities with European open data initiatives.
Andreja Gluščević, Coordinator for Data Standardization and Open Data at the Office for IT and eGovernment, presented Serbia’s approach to open data development, highlighting that the focus is no longer solely on publishing datasets, but on ensuring their visibility, quality and practical use. A key message of the presentation was that publishing data is only the first step, while real value is created when data is reused and transformed into services, analyses and tools that support decision-making.
Particular attention was given to Serbia’s demand-driven approach, which starts with identifying the needs of users and institutions before determining which datasets should be published. Through direct dialogue with data publishers and reusers, as well as through the development of dashboards, different projects and use cases, Serbia seeks to encourage broader reuse of open data and demonstrate its practical benefits.
The webinar further highlighted Serbia’s efforts to align with European open data standards, including work on high-value datasets, regulatory improvements and institutional capacities. Participation in the Open Data Maturity assessment was presented as an important mechanism for identifying achievements, recognising areas for improvement and planning future development of the national open data ecosystem. Through cooperation and continuous alignment with European practices, Serbia continues to strengthen its position within the wider European open data community.