THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 114 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative act to the national parliaments,

Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee [OJ C 290, 29.7.2022, p. 58.],

Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure [Position of the European Parliament of 9 November 2023 (not yet published in the Official Journal) and decision of the Council of 27 November 2023.],

Whereas:

(1) Easy and structured access to data is important in order for decision makers, professional and retail investors, non-governmental organisations, civil society organisations, social and environmental organisations, as well as other stakeholders in the economy and society, to make sound, informed, and environmentally and socially responsible investment decisions that serve the efficient functioning of the market. The provision of reliable and systematised sources of information is likewise of particular relevance for researchers and practitioners in academia, who engage in empirical or theoretical research into financial markets. Ensuring easier access to public information, including to information provided on a voluntary basis, is also necessary in order to increase opportunities for the growth and visibility of and innovation by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Rolling out common Union data spaces in crucial sectors, including the financial sector, serves the purpose of providing easy access to reliable sources of information in those sectors.