The European Health Data Space: Unpacked

  • The European Health Data Space (EHDS) is the European Union’s new way of organising health data. It aims to make it safer, simpler and more consistent to use health data across EU countries – for the care of individuals, research and better policy.
  • Citizens of the EU will keep strong rights over their data. At the same time, the system is being built to support responsible research and innovation.
  • Even though the UK isn’t in the EU, this still matters. Standards set in Europe often shape global expectations – from how data is shared to what “good” looks like on transparency and trust.
  • The EHDS has two main objectives:
    • Primary use – providing cross-border access to data for care and empowering EU citizens through initiatives like 'xShare' which enable individuals to share their health data in one click of a button
    • Secondary use – using data (safely) for research, planning and innovation with TEHDAS2 shaping the practical guidance for how health data can be used for research, innovation and public health across borders.

The European Health Data Space (EHDS)

The EHDS is the EU’s new framework for making health data easier and safer to use across countries. It strengthens people’s rights to access and control their own digital health information, while creating consistent rules for sharing data to support research, innovation and better policymaking.

The EHDS is designed to help EU health systems work together more smoothly. It sets shared expectations for how data can be used for direct care, and introduces new processes that make it easier to use health data responsibly for secondary purposes, such as planning services or conducting collaborative research.

Although focused on the EU, the EHDS will matter to anyone working with European partners or relying on European health data. Many of the structures it introduces are similar to those already in place in England, meaning UK organisations may have useful lessons to contribute as Member States develop their own systems.

What is TEHDAS2?

TEHDAS2 (Towards the European Health Data Space 2) is a collaboration of 30 European countries working on the practical guidance for how health data can be used for research, innovation and public health across borders.

It focuses on:

  • harmonising access processes
  • reducing complexity between countries
  • creating clear rules for safe, trustworthy use of health data
  • shaping how non‑EU countries may collaborate in future

A major part of TEHDAS2 is its public consultations, which test draft operational guidance with a wide range of contributors, including international partners.

Find out more about TEHDAS2 here.

UK context and engagement

The UK cannot formally join the EHDS before 2035, but the choices being made now will shape the rules and expectations that third countries may later need to work within. TEHDAS2 is defining how collaboration, data linking, and citizen information will operate in practice – making this a critical moment for the UK to observe, learn and contribute.

Early engagement is not about negotiating access. It is about understanding how the system is taking shape, influencing emerging norms where appropriate, and ensuring future UK policy is grounded in real evidence, public expectations and practical experience. As the UK develops its own approaches – and a new Health Data Research Service alongside trusted research environments and debates on transparency and consent – there is real value in understanding where European approaches align or diverge.

Upcoming consultations

The next TEHDAS2 consultation (May – June 2026) will cover:

  • Collaboration between national health data access bodies
  • How third countries (like the UK) might request and use EU data
  • How datasets can be safely linked or enriched
  • A new “Citizen Information Point” explaining secondary uses in plain terms
  • How researchers should handle and communicate their findings

Find out more here.

Get involved

Understanding Patient Data is acting as an independent convenor, facilitating engagement and bringing together experts from across the UK health data space to help raise awareness and encourage participation in TEHDAS2 consultations over the coming months, funded by the Wellcome Trust.

To learn more: