Abstract

This paper dually focuses on (1) the propensity for financial effects that the proposed Data Act - a central part of the EU's Data Strategy - will have on smart meter integration efforts across Europe and (2) implications of the Act's effects on smart meter consumer privacy rights and smart meter manufacturer intellectual property integrity. In Part One, it will discuss the history of the EU's policies for smart meter implementations and the current legislative authority. It will also discuss the current status of the EU's smart meter integration efforts, the investment tools and schemes that are predominantly used to facilitate a competitive market for smart meter production and procurement, and describe in greater detail the relationship between advanced metering infrastructure and privacy rights under the GDPR. Part Two will broadly introduce the EU's data strategy and specifically discuss the ramifications the proposed Data Act will have on smart meter producers if enacted.